NEBRASKA WILDFIRES: One killed, firefighters hurt, evacuations continue

LINCOLN, Neb. (NCN/KOLN) - Parts of south-central and southwest Nebraska are dealing with large wildfires, aided by extreme drought and high winds.

One person died and three firefighters were injured when wildfires erupted across 12 counties in Nebraska on Friday and Saturday. Their names have not been released.

The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency reports blazes in Blaine, Brown, Cherry, Cheyenne, Deuel, Dundy, Furnas, Hayes, Perkins, Scotts Bluff, Red Willow and Thomas counties over a 24-hour period.

Active fires remained in Perkins, Hayes and Furnas, Red Willow, and Frontier counties as of 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Cambridge residents faced mandatory evacuations for the second time in as many days Saturday afternoon.

The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency says the State Emergency Operations Center has been activated to help deal with managing the fires.

“A Complex Incident Management Team has been requested to assist with managing the state’s response,” according to a press release. That’s in addition to members of the Nebraska National Guard being activated.

The Wildland Incident Response Assistance Team has deployed specialists to several of the fires. Early Saturday morning FEMA Region VII approved the state’s request for a Fire Management Assistance Grant.

The Nebraska Department of Transportation and NE 511 continue to report numerous road closures in southwest Nebraska, all related to the wildfires. Get the latest updates on road closures from them here.

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