Overheated combine sparked Lancaster County grass fire that burned over 250 acres

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A grass fire burned over 250 acres Sunday afternoon in northeast Lancaster County, the sheriff’s office says.

Around 1:55 p.m., several rural fire agencies from Lancaster County and surrounding counties were sent to the fire near North 84th Street and Branched Oak Road.

The sheriff’s office said the fire was caused by an overheated combine.  The combine was the only vehicle damaged in the fire.

Strong winds and dry conditions played a factor in the fire spreading rapidly.

It took fire crews about three and a half hours to get the flames under control, according to the sheriff’s office.

No one was injured in the fire, and the amount of damage is unknown.

In a post on Facebook, Waverly Fire and Rescue thanked the neighboring fire departments that helped extinguish the blaze.

The agency also highlighted the help from farmers in the area.

“We would not have been able to contain this fire any sooner without the help of the agricultural community,” the agency said. “We had an approximately 8 tractor with disc implements assigned to multiple locations to help create a fire break, and work alongside the fire departments.”