Officials release more details on Friday fires in Cheyenne, Scotts Bluff counties
SUNOL - Some rural residents in Cheyenne County were evacuated Friday night when three wind-driven wildfires ignited between Sunol and Lodgepole.
Nebraska Emergency Management spokesperson, Jodie Fawl, said the fires were escorted by northwest wind gusts of 65 mph and knocked out power and communications.
A fire south of Sunol was three miles from the Colorado border.
The fires were extinguished by around midnight.
A fire in Scotts Bluff County was out as of 1 p.m. on Saturday. One non-residential structure was lost and eight power poles were down resulting in three to four residents without power.
Four fire fighters suffered non-life-threatening injuries while battling a blaze near the Lincoln County Line and Highway 23.
Four fires on farm ground and pasture land burned nearly 5,000 acres. The fire was 90 percent contained as of 2 p.m. Sunday.
The fires were among several others across 12 counties in Nebraska this weekend. One person is reported to have died in Red Willow County in southwestern Nebraska, but no details on the death were released.
The Road 702 Fire near Cambridge is estimated at 50,000 acres. Firefighters were securing existing fire lines by mopping up any hotspots along the Republican River and Highway 6 Sunday afternoon. Areas of concern were timbered draws and hay bales near the fire edge. All evacuations have been lifted.
Five fires of unknown sizes were reported in Blaine, Cherry, Brown and Thomas Counties. The Wildland Incident Response Assistance Team responded, as well as 20 volunteer fire departments. There were reports of two or three damaged fire trucks. Most mutual aid had been sent home and a small crew is doing mop up. The fire was considered out as of 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Several houses were threatened, and structures were lost, in the Burt County Fire that started near Lyons and continued to Macy. 18 fire departments battled 60 mph winds to fight the blaze.
Macy was evacuated and a shelter was set up at the Walthill School, but the evacuation has now been lifted.
The fire is 75% contained. Four non-life-threatening injuries (one hospitalization) were reported with one fire truck destroyed.
A fire at 2670 D Road in Rising City started Saturday when a frontend loader bucket sparked on a concrete pad next to a hay facility. The fire spread to calving sheds rapidly.
Two firefighters were sent to hospital for smoke inhalation and a few firefighters were treated for eye irritation.
The fire was believed to be extinguished around 2 a.m. Sunday, but flared up late morning Sunday due to wind changes.
Approximately 100 calves were lost.