BEATRICE – Nearly all of Nebraska, with the exception of the far west and southwest corner, is under a Red Flag Warning for high fire danger, today.


Custer County has already had its share of wildfire problems this week. Governor Jim Pillen has declared a disaster in Custer and Dawes Counties, where firefighters were hoping to gain control of fires by the end of this week.


Gage County Emergency Manager Lisa Wiegand says some local fire units helping in the central Nebraska fires just returned from there, Thursday.  "We had a group that deployed out to the Custer County fires, that returned this morning. My thanks to all the rural fire departments that allow their members to go."


Speaking at a Gage County Township Association Annual meeting Thursday night, Wiegand said resources from four local departments assisted in the wildland fires.  "We had six engines that went out, fifteen individuals....Barneston, Wymore, Odell and Beatrice Rural had joined the task force for 3 and 33 (mutual aid association). They have safely returned. There were 54 different fire departments out there, working with the Custer County fires."


The state disaster declaration by Pillen opens the use of aerial resources such as helicopters and aerial buckets to drop water or fire retardant on the blazes.


On Thursday, smoke was visible to many, south of Beatrice and Fairbury. "The Pheasants Forever (chapter) were burning south of Endicott. There's about 22-hundred acres. With satellite imaging, there's about 52 hotspots yet, but it's not done burning...but they hope to work through that. That's in the Steele City jurisdiction."


Wiegand thanked township boards for helping get roadside ditches cleaned out, following wildland fires that broke out last year across the area.


Friday’s Red Flag Warning is in effect from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. for most of Nebraska, including all of the southeast and south-central. Northwest winds are expected at 20-to-35 miles-per-hour with some gusts up to 45 miles-per-hour. Relative humidity readings are expected in the 20-to-25 percent range.

Any outdoor burning is not recommended.