Road 702 Wildfire in Southwest Nebraska Now 88% Contained

April 28, 2022, 10 a.m. ·

NSP Road 702 Fire Drone Video. Fire burning a prairie with smoke rising up.
Dry conditions and high winds contributed to the 702 wildfire, which burned more than 43,582 acres across southwest Nebraska in late April, according to state estimates. It scorched grassland and hay that ranchers rely on to feed their cattle. (Image courtesy Nebraska State Patrol)

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The Road 702 Wildfire in Southwest Nebraska is now 88% contained, according to Nebraska's Emergency Management Agency.

NEMA raised the total area impacted by the wildfire to 43,582 on Thursday morning. The only uncontained area remains around the Republican River Valley, which stretches across both Furnas and Red Willow counties.

This area has been a main focus of fire crews since the weekend. The dense vegetation – shrubs and trees – surrounding the river has given the ongoing fires longer lasting fuel compared to quick-burring prairie grass.

The weather in the area will be warm and breezy for most of Thursday. There’s also slight chances of thunderstorms forecasted by Thursday evening and into Friday.

A Thursday, April 28 map of the Road 702 Fire in Southwest Nebraska
The black outlines indicate full containment. (Courtesy NEMA)