One dead as wildfires scorch central and west-central Nebraska; burn ban enacted

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Nebraska Examiner

By: Aaron Sanderford - March 13, 2026 12:00 pm Updated 8:59 pm

LINCOLN — Nebraska first responders have spent the past 24 hours chasing and fighting 24 reported wildfires fed by high winds, and federal officials are fighting another near Halsey.

That’s the report Friday from the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, which helps coordinate state and local disaster response and works with the Nebraska National Guard.

Much of Nebraska has been under a red-flag warning, which indicates conditions are dry enough for an increased risk of wildfires and wind to spread them more quickly.

Gov. Jim Pillen, in a tweet Friday, said he had declared an emergency in Arthur, Dawson, Frontier, Garden, Keith, Lincoln and Morrill Counties to “help combat wildfires.” He’s visiting some of the fire-affected areas on Saturday.



Read more: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/wildfires-scorch-central-and-west-central-nebraska/

[NickB79]

1. It's been a warm, low snowfall winter west of the Mississippi

I'd imagine there's a lot of dry grass out there just waiting for a spark and a gusty day.