LINCOLN, Neb. (KMTV) — A wildfire that began in Kansas last Friday continues to burn, aided by high winds and wreaking destruction on Nebraska lands.
The origin of the wildfire has not yet been determined, but one thing is certain: it has been massively destructive in the 28 miles that it has covered in Red Willow, Furnas and Frontier Counties. The fire, named the Road 702 Fire due to its origin eight miles southwest of Cambridge, Neb., has burned 41,155 acres, according to the latest assessment by Colorado's Multi-Mission Aircraft.
The blaze killed an ex-fire chief from Cambridge and has injured others.
The last assessment of the fire is at 0% containment, as documented by the Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team One, distributed by the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency and the Nebraska State Patrol. The containment date estimated by the Rocky Mountain Complex team lists Sunday, May 1 for when the Road 702 will be under control. The firefighting efforts are divided into three branches on the ground and aerial efforts and span from establishing perimeters, to fire mop-ups, to water dumps from planes, to tree removal to prevent further spread of flames.
High winds will continue this week without much humidity to dampen fuel, so everything from grass to hardwood to the agricultural lands are at risk of being burned. The Nebraska State Patrol says that there will be elevated weather conditions and "near-critical fire weather conditions expected on Tuesday." It is advised that those traveling near the area take caution.
There are currently no active evacuations in place for residents and those occupying lands near the Road 702 Fire.
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