What is being called one of the largest fires in Nebraska’s history has proven to be a fatal one, claiming at least one life in Arthur County. The identity of the deceased was withheld as of press time.
The fire began on Thursday, near Angora, and has been fueled by dry conditions and heavy winds. Officials say the fire was caused by a downed power pole. As of press time, the fire, referred to as the Morrill Fire, is estimated to have consumed nearly 573,000 acres of land across Morrill, Garden, Arthur and Keith Counties.
The fire is being fought by firefighters from across the state and neighboring states, and management of the fire is being led by Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 1, who have been providing updates on the Morrill Fire and the Cottonwood Fire blazing in Lincoln County. The Alliance Volunteer Fire Department was called on for mutual aid in fighting the fire on Thursday afternoon.
On Saturday, Governor Jim Pillen went on an aerial tour of the devastation, and hosted a briefing at the Keith County Fairgrounds, joined by Senator Pete Ricketts, Congressman Adrian Smith and Lt. Colonel Scott Henrickson, chief of the joint staff for the Nebraska National Guard. Governor Pillen issued an emergency proclamation on Friday, unlocking state resources to support the response to the wildfires.
“These fires present a significant and active danger, given current weather conditions,” said Gov. Pillen. “Anyone living within proximity to current wildfires are urged to heed communications issued by local authorities, including their respective county emergency management agencies.”
Governor Pillen authorized the deployment of 26 Nebraska National Guard soldiers and airmen to assist local fire crews, ordered the deployment of a fire-suppression aircraft, as well as a Nebraska Army National Guard helicopter and crew for targeted water drops. He also ordered several Nebraska Department of Transportation road graders to Oshkosh and surrounding areas to create fire breaks.
