Feds come to assist volunteers with Nebraska wildfire fights

Fire

 

April 28, 2022



It seems the daily forecasts from the National Weather Service office always include high wind and red flag messages. News bulletins coming into our office often relate to wildfires.

There have been so many wildfires in Nebraska this week that federal emergency management people have taken over the fight in some locations.

With no rain, high winds and low humidity on Tuesday morning, Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team One reported a Red Flag Warning was in effect from noon until 8 p.m. that day. Temperatures were predicted to be in the 70’s with winds from the south shifting to south/southwest around 10 a.m. Winds were predicted to be 16 to 26 miles per hour gusting to 28 to 40. Critical fire weather conditions were to continue into Tuesday evening with winds gusting 20 to 25 miles per hour through most of the night. Increased gusty winds were expected to create low visibility in and around what is described as the 702 fire area due to blowing dust and ash.

That news release indicated additional resources had arrived from several surrounding states to assist with suppression efforts on the Road 702 Fire. The arrival of these resources allowed firefighters from local volunteer departments (including Edgar’s) to get some rest and reset with family after what has been several weeks of high fire activity. Incident Management acknowledged the great work that was done by first responders.

The Road 702 Fire report included the following:

“Branch I (North and West side) encompasses the area from Cambridge west along the fire edge and south to Lebanon, Neb. The portion of the fire north of US-6, in Division A, has been contained. Firefighters will continue to patrol and mop up in this area and continue to strengthen containment lines. Along the west side of the fire, from US-6 south to near Silver Creek, firefighters continue to work on containment lines and cooling down hot spots within the timbered draws. Heavy equipment is being used to remove trees that pose a hazard to firefighters in this area. From near Silver Creek south to the Branch I/III break at State Highway 89, the perimeter has been contained and firefighters will continue to patrol and mop up.

Branch III (East and South side) encompasses east and south perimeters of the fire from Cambridge south to Wilsonville and into Kansas. From the Branch I and III break at State Highway 89 south to Road 702, the fire perimeter has been contained. Good progress is being made on the portion of the fire that is in Kansas and containment on this section of the fire is expected soon. On the east side, the fire previously pushed out in several places creating fingers of unsecured fire edge. Direct and indirect fireline is being constructed to contain the fingers to lessen the risk of fire escaping containment lines. Firefighters will continue to patrol and mop up all portions of Branch III that have been contained.

There were no community evacuations at that time on the Road 702 Fire though there had on the weekend. There had been a reduction in the reported fire size as measurement continued but it was still big.

The fire size was reported as covering 41,448 acres, it was said to be 47 percent contained and was located in Red Willow, Furnas and Frontier counties in Nebraska and Phillips and Norton counties in Kansas.

Thankfully the National Weather Service forecast included 50 percent greater chances for rain later this week.

We heard one farmer comment Monday night, “If it rained two inches tonight, it is so dry I could be back planting by noon Tuesday.

Another noted the ground was so hard he was using all his tractor’s down pressure trying to get the seed into the ground.

Because of the recent low temperatures, those farmers expected they would have to replant already planted soybeans.

A landowner building fence north of Burr Oak on Saturday reported he was setting corner posts four-foot into the ground and finding no moisture. The ground was so powdery that after an auger was used to bore the hole, loose material had to be removed with hand tools before the post could be put in.

However, though it is dry, the pasture land involved in the Burr Oak fire is turning green.

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 

Our Family of Publications Includes:

Superior Express
Nuckolls County Locomotive Gazette
Jewell County Record

Powered by ROAR Online Publication Software from Lions Light Corporation
© Copyright 2024