BEATRICE – What was reported as a barn fire three miles southwest of Beatrice on the last day of 2025, turned out to be a small flare-up.

Beatrice Rural Firefighters were sent to a farm at Southwest 61st and West Linden Road at around 3:30 p.m. The chief of the rural department said a small fire in hay bedding was apparently caused by an electrical problem.

Units responding to the scene applied water and pulled some of the smoldering hay at the barn…and were back in service just after four p.m.

Damage was minimal.

Beatrice Rural Firefighters were also sent to a reported large fire producing black smoke east of Rockford Lake, Tuesday at about 4:40 p.m. Firefighters doused a small burn pit fire….and left the scene southeast of Beatrice, shortly after five p.m.