[UPDATE 4:02 p.m.] Firefighters from five departments battled a wildfire in northeast Custer County Wednesday. The fire started about 1 p.m. this afternoon southeast of Sargent. By 2 p.m., the fire had jumped the 21-C spur between Sargent and Comstock. Firefighters began attacking the north side of the blaze in an effort to keep it out of the canyons. By 3 p.m., the fire was under control.
[UPDATE 2:09 p.m.] Firefighters are trying to put out a large fire that started around 1:07 p.m. southeast of Sargent, Neb., in Custer County. Authorities say the fire jumped the 21C spur. There are five departments fighting the blaze.
By Nina Harrelson nharrelson@nebraska.tv
Most of the wildfires that began in the Stapleton area Tuesday have been put out, but firefighters are still on the lookout for hot spots that could spark new blazes, authorities say.
Firefighters from as many at 60 departments from across the state were still battling that wildfire Wednesday morning, which started around the Lincoln County-Logan County line and jumped U.S. Highway 83 in the Stapleton area Tuesday.
The fire engulfed a soybean field near Stapleton and became uncontainable. One home was destroyed and one person was sent to the hospital as the massive fire burned more than 40 square miles.
Rodney Winder, 55, of North Platte, was taken to Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte Tuesday and was later transferred to St. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center in Lincoln. He is listed in serious condition at their burn center.
Other fires occurred near Taylor and north of Merritt Reservoir. Another smaller fire was noted east of Madrid and also by Callaway Tuesday.
Firefighters are bracing for the worst as temperatures rise and the winds pick up.
Strong southerly winds will continue over western and north central Nebraska Wednesday, due to an area of strong low pressure, which continues to deepen along the Front Range of the Rockies.
A Wind Advisory is also posted for all of western and north central Nebraska through 7 p.m.
A Red Flag Warning is in effect until 7 p.m. Wednesday for parts of western and north central Nebraska. Dry conditions will persist over north central into parts of southwestern Nebraska, especially along and east of Highway 83 from North Platte to Valentine.
Minimum relative humidities are forecast to drop into the 15 to 20 percent range Wednesday afternoon. A lack of moisture over the past several weeks has led to an ample supply of dry fuels.
This combination of dry fuels, low relative humidities and gusty south winds with frequent gusts above 25 MPH will continue to create critical fire weather conditions into early Wednesday evening.
