AINSWORTH, NE – The Plum Creek Fire in north central Nebraska began Monday when a prescribed burn coordinated by Nebraska Game & Parks escaped containment.
The fire has now burned 24,000+ acres between Ainsworth and Valentine, according to Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) spokesperson Katrina Cerveny. And Mother Nature has stepped in with much needed rain to bring the fire under control.
Governor Jim Pillen authorized the Nebraska National Guard to mobilize soldiers and airmen to assist local volunteer fire departments, who battled the Plum Creek Fire near Johnstown, Nebraska, in Brown County. Nebraska Army National Guard aerial resources were also authorized to support the firefighting mission.
The assignment of state resources is in response to a request received Tuesday evening through the NEMA to assist local volunteer firefighters who have been fighting the fire since Monday.
Ranchers have confirmed they lost numerous head of cattle due to the escaped burn, some power infrastructure has been destroyed, and a cabin has been destroyed. Other structures were threatened and were boxed in with heavy equipment to provide protection.
The cause of the fire has been attributed to a permitted burn that got out of control.
Erv Portis, assistant director of NEMA, said the fire was in “very, very challenging topography” between canyons, hills and water on the northern edge. The only real way to fight it, he said, was from the air.
Gov. Pillen issued a statewide burn ban during a news conference at the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency today, alongside other state officials. He emphasized the persistent dry conditions that have continued to plague the state. In February, the Governor issued an emergency declaration for wildfires in Custer and Dawes counties that were also fueled by dry conditions, high winds and a lake of humidity.
“It’s way too dry in Nebraska right now, and it only takes one burn, one mistake and then you have a situation like we have in Plum Creek. The risks are too significant,” said Gov. Pillen.
Department of Agriculture Director Sherry Vinton touched on the rough and dangerous terrain where the fire is burning, and the extreme difficulty that it posed for fire crews and others who were trying to control flames.
“As the director of agriculture, and a rancher myself, I support the statewide burn ban. While fire is a tool that we use in our agricultural operations and for conservation, right now our current conditions make it just too dangerous,” stressed Dir. Vinton. “Protecting our land, our livestock, wildlife, and most importantly, people in our neighborhoods and our communities from the potential of wildfire damage, is of the utmost importance right now.”
More than 50 different local fire departments, many run by volunteers, responded to the Plum Creek Fire as did the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, NEMA, State Fire Marshal’s Office, Nebraska National Guard, Nebraska State Patrol, Game and Parks and Nebraska Forest Service.
“I applaud the governor for taking this action to save lives and protect property,” NEMA Assistant Director Erv Portis said. “Safety is our number one priority.”
The Nebraska Army National Guard provided two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and a ground crew of 16 to assist with fire suppression.
“We appreciate the willingness of our soldiers and airmen, as well as their families and employers, to support these local volunteer firefighters as they worked tirelessly to control this wildfire,” said Col. Shane Varejcka, Nebraska National Guard chief of the joint staff.
The Governor signed three documents – a proclamation providing state assistance to the Plum Creek Fire, a proclamation providing for state resources to be utilized in response to drought conditions and an executive order establishing the statewide burning ban in all areas of the state through April 30.
