The Superior Express -

Monday afternoon, members of the Superior Volunteer Fire Department responded to two fires at nearly the same time.

“Butch” Nondorf called his son, Scott - the fire chief, and reported smoke. Live embers from a burn pit at the Mertens residence at the southwest corner Superior had ignited closely cropped grass around the pit and a brisk westerly wind had pushed the fire to the edge of Lost Creek.

Mertens had been issued a fire permit and used the burn pit a month ago.

While rushing toward Superior to join other members of the SVFD, a fireman spotted smoke rising into the air at the Mason Ely residence east of Superior. There it is thought electrical wires entering the barn started the fire. The Elys were not home at the time and the housekeeper present was not aware that anything had happened until firemen were about done. Reportedly the fire consumed only a small out building. The barn was not harmed.

Smoke from the Mertens fire filled Superior for a time Monday afternoon, but it wasn’t the only smoke detected in Nebraska. Warnings were issued in Eastern Nebraska with regard to smoke being pushed by a west wind from a wildfire in the North Platte area.

At 10:32 a.m. Monday, the North Platte 911 center received a phone call reporting a wildfire from a resident on Betty’s Way, approximately 8.6 miles northeast of North Platte.

North Platte Fire Department responded with three stations and arrived on scene within 12 minutes. Fire managers established immediate suppression tactics and named the fire the Betty’s Way Fire. North Platte requested mutual aid through the Mid-Plains Mutual Aid District which is comprised of 15 area volunteer fire departments.

Due to red flag warnings and wind speeds in excess of 40 mph, the fire grew rapidly to the east. Evacuations were issued for areas ahead of the fire.

    On Tuesday it was reported the fire had covered 71,022 acres. Two primary residences and numerous outbuildings had been destroyed.