Officials are reporting, as of press time on Monday, that 642,029 acres of land across Morrill, Garden, Grant, Arthur and Keith Counties have been burned by the Morrill Fire that broke out on March 12 near Angora. Firefighters from across the state and from other states have been battling the fire to get it contained.
As of press time, the Morrill Fire was reported as 98 percent contained. Dry weather conditions and strong winds have been a driving force behind this fire, which began when a power pole snapped and sparked the fire in Morrill County. The fire spread rapidly throughout the counties, impacting many people in the Panhandle and Sandhills, leaving behind a blanket of ash. One Arthur County resident, Rose White, 86, lost her life as a result of the fire.
This week, the Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 1 continues management of the Morrill Fire, as well as the Cottonwood fire burning through Lincoln and Dawson Counties. They plan to remain through Saturday, ending their 14-day period of management.
On Monday, Governor Jim Pillen was joined by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins for an aerial tour of the Morrill Fire, joined by U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer, Congressman Adrian Smith, and USDA Under Secretary Richard Fordyce.
Following the aerial tour of the devastation, they took part in a fire briefing at the Keith County Fairgrounds in Ogallala.
Crews continue to patrol the region, looking for hot spots and monitoring the 400-mile long fire perimeter. The fire, as of press time, is not expected to grow any larger.