Fire officials on Monday said they had made gains fighting two large fires that have burned nearly 93 square miles in northwest Nebraska.
“We are in the middle of it,” said Jim Bunstock, spokesman for the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency. “It’s tempting to breathe a sigh of relief, but the Harrison fire is large and unpredictable.”
The fires were reported to be 25 percent contained as of Monday evening. No injuries have been reported, though some firefighters have suffered heat exhaustion.
Officials from federal and state agencies are concerned about two sets of fires – one south of Chadron, the other near the town of Harrison in Sioux County.
One Sioux County fire has already burned 30,000 acres, officials said. In the past three days, officials estimate the combined fires have burned more than 90 square miles.
Lightning is believed to be the cause of the fires that have claimed three homes in Chadron and a bed-and-breakfast north of Harrison.
Bunstock said 600 firefighters were working the blazes.
The Red Cross has set up shelters at schools and churches in both areas for the 270 households that were voluntarily evacuated, said spokesman Jono Alzalone.
Chadron has put voluntary restrictions on watering lawns so the water can be used in tankers, said City Manager Al Vacanti.
A southern section of the town was evacuated Friday, he said. But the town is no longer in immediate danger. “We breathed a sigh of relief on Saturday.”
The Nebraska State Patrol has closed three sections of roads south of Chadron and near Harrison.
Bunstock said that even though changing weather is difficult when firefighting, the job has been made easier by Monday’s temperatures in the 80s as opposed to Sunday’s triple digits.
Mimi Groves, owner of Helen’s Restaurant and Groves Bar in Chadron, said things seemed to be getting back to normal Monday, but it’s not over yet.
“It’s the conversation piece around the coffee table,” she said.
Staff Writer Joel Grostephan can be reached at 303-820-1201 or jgrostephan@denverpost.com.
