Dry weather causing ‘significant’ wildfires in Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Recently, fire departments across Nebraska have had to work to put out many wildfires and grass fires.

“The size of the grass fires and the volume is pretty significant this year,” Bennet Fire Chief Tim Norris said.

The main reason is that the weather has provided the right ingredients for fires to spark and spread quickly.

Namely, the little moisture we’ve received, strong winds and dry vegetation are all adding fuel to these fires.

According to the Climate Prediction Center, most of Nebraska is expected to see drought conditions remain, but improve, through the end of June.

Knowing about Red Flag Warnings, burn bans and burn permits can make all the difference at this time of year.

A Red Flag Warning is something that addresses the current weather conditions, and it is not a burn ban.

In fact, the state is under a burn ban 24/7.

People looking to “break” that ban can apply for a burn permit.

“If people are going to, at some point when the season opens up, do some brush pile burning, limit how big of brush piles you have,” Norris said. “That would be huge. Make multiple brush piles and make them smaller. When you’re not attending it and the wind shifts, it changes everything.”

But as they usually do, Bennet and other rural fire departments have participated in extensive training to “keep their skills sharp.”

“We get out there and teach them, ‘How does the fire move? What do you need to look for?’ Norris said. “I mean, most people don’t realize, fire runs uphill. So if you think you’re going to fight something and you get on the topside, that fire is going to come at you a lot faster than if it was going down the hill.”

Another tip Norris shared is to try to distance things that can catch on fire from your home.

That way, there will be a buffer in case a fire was to ignite on your property.