As of Thursday, the Morrill Fire has burned more than 600,000 acres, while the Cottonwood Fire has scorched over 100,000 acres.
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – A group of Douglas County firefighters left Thursday to support crews battling wildfires that have burned nearly 825,000 acres across Nebraska in just one week.
Six departments from across Douglas County deployed six brush trucks and 18 personnel Thursday morning to assist with the Morrill and Cottonwood fires in western and central Nebraska.
“Well this morning we’re heading to North Platte. From there I believe they’re going to split our two teams. Three trucks are going to the Cottonwood Fire and three to the Morrill Fire,” said Chief Nick Thoreen of the Boys Town Fire Department.
Record-breaking fires
As of Thursday, the Morrill Fire has burned more than 600,000 acres, while the Cottonwood Fire has burned over 100,000 acres.
Thoreen said the fires are setting records.
“It is one of the most, well – THE most destructive fire that the state of Nebraska has seen. Yeah I’ve been doing this about thirty years and this is – this will be the biggest fire I’ve ever gone to,” Thoreen said.
Assistant Chief Jason Laferriere of the Irvington Volunteer Fire Department said he had never expected to encounter a situation like this in his 25-year career.
Crews will remain deployed for at least seven days, with the possibility of extending their stay if needed.
Thoreen added that the deployment will not impact coverage in Omaha, and neighborhoods will continue to have adequate fire response teams.
“Nebraska is a unique state where we all come together and have each other’s backs. We don’t know what they’re going through, but we can sympathize and we want to go out and provide whatever support we can with whatever resources that we have,” Laferriere said.
He acknowledged some nerves heading into the situation but said the crews are eager to help.
“Anytime there’s a disaster like this it’s devastating, and it’s bigger than just the people that are going through the event. It affects the communities, the surrounding areas, and at this point it really affects the entire state. That’s why we’re happy to go out and assist in any aspect that we can because of what they’re going through,” Laferriere said.
Agencies that deployed Thursday morning include Boys Town, Irvington, Valley, Bennington, Waterloo, and Ralston.
Thoreen said he expects the Douglas County burn ban to remain in place as temperatures continue to rise in the metro area.
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