(LINCOLN, NE) -- Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen issues an emergency proclamation to make state resources and support available in the response to multiple wildfires in central and western Nebraska that have burned hundreds of thousands of acres across multiple counties and resulted in evacuations in nearby communities.
The Governor has also issued a burn ban in Nebraska.
The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency has received 24 reports of wildfires in the past 24 hours.
Major fires that are being tracked include:
--The Road 203 Fire south of the communities of Halsey and Dunning within the Nebraska National Forest. This fire is being managed by federal authorities.
--The Lincoln County Fire (Cottonwood Fire) south of I-80, near Brady and Gothenburg.
--The Morrill County Fire north of Nebraska Highway 92, between Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Lake McConaughy.
-- The Anderson Bridge Fire west of Valentine.
Pillen has ordered the activation and deployment of multiple state assets and resources in response to the fires:
-- Authorizing the deployment of 26 Nebraska National Guard soldiers and airmen to assist local fire crews.
-- Ordering the deployment of a fixed-wing fire suppression aircraft.
--Ordering the deployment of a Nebraska Army National Guard helicopter and crew to support local fire fighters with quick and targeted aerial water drops, particularly in areas where ground respond capabilities are limited.
-- Ordering the deployment of a Nebraska Army and Air National Guard firefighting crew to support local fire fighters.
-- Ordering several Nebraska Department of Transportation road graders to Oshkosh and surrounding areas. This heavy equipment will assist with creating fire breaks to slow the growth of existing wildfires and contain them.
-- Activating a Complex Incident Management Team for consolidated management of the Morrill County and Lincoln County fires, which have exceeded 300,000 acres and 50,000 acres, respectively.
-- Activating the State Emergency Operations Center to provide centralized interagency coordination and monitoring at NEMA headquarters in Lincoln.
In addition to the items above, the Nebraska State Patrol has been assisting with evacuations and traffic control in specific affected areas.
The Governor is expected to take an aerial tour of fire-impacted areas this weekend.
(Picture from the State of Nebraska)