Wildfires scorch Nebraska
Fueled by a dangerous combination of dry grass, low humidity and powerful winds, historic wildfires burning across central and western Nebraska have scorched more than 800,000 acres and left widespread destruction in their wake.
The worst of the fires was ignited on March 12 and quickly burned through the Nebraska Sandhills and surrounding rangelands, claiming one life and creating immediate and long-term challenges for the area’s agricultural producers.
In fact, state officials have deemed the second weekend of March as the worst weekend of wildfires in Nebraska state history, surpassing the previous record for wildfire size and scope set in the extreme drought of 2021.
While firefighting efforts have made progress in recent days – aided briefly by calmer winds and cooler temperatures – conditions remain volatile. Red flag warnings signaling extreme fire danger are expected to persist, with forecasts calling for continued high winds, warm temperatures and low humidity.
Historic fires
Now dubbed the largest wildfire in state history, the Morrill Fire was ignited by an electrical fire sparked by high winds, which also led to the flame’s rapid spread – traveling approximately 70 miles in less than 12 hours.
As of March 18, the Morrill Fire had burned more than 643,074 acres across Morrill, Arthur and Garden counties with 67 percent containment.
The fire claimed the life of 86-year-old Arthur, Neb. resident Rose White who was trying to escape the blaze. The flames decimated the White family’s homestead, where Rose was born, raised and spent her entire life.
To the east, the Cottonwood Fire consumed 128,036 acres south of Interstate 80 with 78 percent containment as of March 18. According to InciWeb, the cause of this fire is still under investigation.
South of the communities of Halsey, Neb. and Dunning, Neb., the Road 203 Fire scorched 35,916 acres and initiated a closure order for the Nebraska National Forest. InciWeb notes the area’s steep, remote terrain and heavy dead and down timber have made it challenging for crews to get in and out of the incident, but as of March 18, the fire was 76 percent contained.
The Anderson Bridge Fire west of Valentine, Neb. also contributed to the destruction on a smaller scale, tearing through about 17,400 acres with 60 percent containment as of March 18.
Devastating losses
In the aftermath, Nebraska ranchers are facing catastrophic losses.
While many were able to move their cattle to safety in time, the loss of rangeland, forage and fencing will present a major obstacle moving forward.
In an interview with KETV, Nebraska Rancher Glenna Sherfey says, “I would say 95 percent of our grazing land is gone, and 95 percent of our fences are probably gone as well.”
Sherfey goes on to note, without grass or adequate feed supplies, she and her neighbors are now faced with difficult decisions as they shift their priorities away from spring calving toward immediate recovery efforts like rebuilding fences and securing feed.
Other ranchers tell KETV they expect the financial toll to be significant, as replacing fencing alone can cost up to $15,000 per square mile.
Combined with lost hay, damaged equipment and potential livestock health issues, total losses could take years to recover from.
Community response
In response to the historic fires, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen issued an emergency proclamation on March 13 for the counties of Morrill, Garden, Arthur, Keith, Lincoln, Dawson and Frontier to unlock statewide support resources.
He also issued a statewide burn ban, effective through March 27, in an effort to prevent further incidents.
According to the governor’s office, Pillen’s actions authorized deployment of the Nebraska National Guard to assist local fire crews, along with deployment of a fixed-wing suppression aircraft and Nebraska Army National Guard helicopter and crew.
Local communities have rallied together to support one another and offer assistance to those in need.
Donation centers for hay and fencing supplies have been set up across the region, and relief funds have been organized to assist producers with recovery costs.
Drop off and pickup points for feed and fencing materials include Crusty’s Feed Store in Arthur, Neb.; Kraupies Northport Lot in Bridgeport, Neb.; Oshkosh Truck Shop and Heartland Lumber in Oshkosh, Neb.; Gordon Livestock Market in Gordon, Neb.; Grant County Fairgrounds in Hyannis, Neb.; Sugar Valley Stockyards in Gering, Neb.; Farnam Hay Bank in Farnam, Neb.; Ogallala Ag Supply in Ogallala, Neb.; ProMix Sales and Service and Maline Seed and Fence in Gothenburg, Neb. and Miller Repair in Maxwell, Neb.
The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) is also taking donations of hay, feed, fencing materials, equipment and household supplies to distribute to those in need and has opened a free Hay and Forage Hotline to connect those donating supplies to those who need them.
Additionally, monetary donations can be made to the Nebraska Cattlemen Disaster Relief Fund, Nebraska Sandhills Rancher Fire Relief, Nebraska Farm Bureau Disaster Relief Fund and Western Fire Relief Fund United Way, as well as to funds erected by the Oregon Trail Community Foundation, Gordon Livestock Market, St. John’s Lutheran Church and Flatwater Bank.
There are also several mental health resources available for those affected by the recent devastation, including the Rural Response Hotline, 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline and Disaster Distress Helpline.
At the federal level, executive actions have been taken to reduce regulatory barriers and expedite the delivery of feed, water and other critical supplies to affected areas, while state and federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service, are working to provide assistance programs for livestock losses, forage replacement and infrastructure repair.
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
