No Homes Damaged from Estimated 6000-acre Fire in Banner County, Crews Still Cooling “Hotspots” And Outer Edge

Aug. 9, 2021, 11:37 a.m. ·

Through the opening in the side of a National Guard helicopter, a cloud of smoke can be seen on the hazy horizon. A National Guard member sits in the helicopter looking out at the fire..jpg
Through the opening in the side of a National Guard helicopter, a cloud of smoke can be seen on the hazy horizon. (Photo courtesy of Region 21 Emergency Management)

The estimated 6,000-acre wildfire in Western Nebraska’s Banner County that started last week is nearly extinguished.

Tim Newman with Region 22 Emergency Management said fire crews are operating what’s called a mop-up phase.

“They’ll go around and look for hotspots, look for places where the line might be compromised,” he said. “They’ll go in and try to make the edges cold and wet, about 66 feet in, and then watch for any high heat areas that they need to cool off.”

Newman said a lightning strike has been confirmed as the cause of the fire, which started Thursday evening. High winds the next day caused the fire to spread, but weather over the weekend was favorable for suffocating the flames.

Newman said local fire departments have received backup from Nebraska’s National Guard and fire and rescue personnel as far east as Grand Island.

The flames threatened some homes but Newman said none were damaged.