LINCOLN, Neb. (KMTV) — The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency provided an update Friday evening on the 30,000 acre wildfire that remains 0% contained in Gosper and Furnas Counties in south-central Nebraska.
Incident Commander Brian Sisson provided the information on the rate of containment, which refers to an established fire line that prevents the fire from expanding. This does not mean that firefighters and other natural resource organizations are not actively responding to the fire: in fact, 40 fire departments from across the state have responded to the scene. Four different emergency managers have also been deployed, as have the Nebraska National Guard, Nebraska State Patrol, the Wildland Incident Response Assistance Team, the Nebraska State Fire Marshal Agency and NEMA's own staff.
“Responders are establishing a perimeter, working hot spots and cooling the interior of the fire,” Sisson said. “We are appreciative of all the efforts the firefighters are making to work this fire. We also need thank the community for their expressions of support.”
Investigative personnel from the Nebraska State Fire Marshal determined that the fire was accidental and caused by strong winds that blew a dead tree into a powerline around noon on Thursday, seven miles southwest of Elwood. The fire expanded to include both Gosper and Furnas Counties.
As Fire Chief Darren Krull of the Elwood Volunteer Fire Department and Phelps County Emergency Management Director Justin Norris were en route to the fire to provide assistance, their vehicle was involved in a head-on crash with another vehicle, and Krull died as a result. Norris is recovering from his injuries and is said to be in stable condition in Omaha.
Eight homes and 48 outbuildings have also been destroyed as a direct result of the blaze. Furnas and Gosper Counties both issued emergency declarations, which prompted Gov. Pete Ricketts to issue a state emergency declaration which allows state resources and the Governor's Emergency Fund to be utilized. The American Red Cross has also set up in the area to provide further assistance.
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