Recent Rainfall Holds Off Wildfire Conditions in Nebraska
By Aaron Bonderson 
, Report for America Reporter/Producer Nebraska Public Media
July 15, 2021, 2:43 p.m. ·
Most of Nebraska was hit with rain and severe thunderstorm conditions last weekend. Matt Holte with the Nebraska Forest Service said lightning strikes from those storms didn’t cause wildfires.
“We haven’t heard much about any lightning strikes,” he said. “We were busy about two and half, three weeks ago. With all this rain, it’s really died down. It bought us some time for sure.”
Holte said the recent rainfall could keep wildfires away for at least two weeks in Nebraska. The forest service dealt with numerous fires in western Nebraska in late June, along with a 6600-acre fire near O’Neill, Nebraska.
He said the Nebraska National Forest near Chadron, Nebraska looks more green after the recent rain.