Grant County Wildfires Devastate 75,000 Acres Near Morrill Fire

Two new wildfires ignited overnight Wednesday in Grant County, Nebraska. Grant County wildfires have devastated roughly 75,000 acres near the Morrill Fire.

Fire locations and movement

The larger blaze, called the Ashby Fire, began near the community of Ashby. It has burned about 60,000 acres and moved south.

The Ashby Fire has entered ground already scorched by the Morrill Fire. This area lies northeast of the Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

The smaller blaze, named the Minor Fire, started south of Hyannis. It covers roughly 15,000 acres and is pushing south toward Arthur County and the Morrill Fire.

Initial response and mobilization

Incident managers mobilized initial-attack resources around 1 a.m. MDT Thursday. Those crews are assisting local volunteer fire departments and the Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s Wildland Incident Response and Assistance Team.

At the governor’s request, Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 1 is supporting both fires. The team ordered numerous engines and other ground resources.

Aerial and additional resources

Additional aerial assets arrived Thursday to support suppression efforts. Four Black Hawk helicopters from the Nebraska and Iowa National Guard are working the Ashby Fire.

Three single-engine air tankers are assigned to the Minor Fire. Several initial-attack groups remain staged and ready to respond to new ignitions.

Conditions and coordination

Very strong north winds were forecast to challenge firefighters all day Thursday. Cooler and moister conditions were expected, but winds could complicate containment.

The State Emergency Operations Center at the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency is fully operational. It is coordinating closely with Rocky Mountain CIMT 1.

Photo of the Minor Fire credited to Heather Kramer.