NORFOLK, Neb. - Extremely dry conditions and gusty south winds made for some tough firefighting conditions across northeast Nebraska on Monday.
Firefighters battled at least four significant grass fires in Pierce and Stanton Counties.
Mike Joy, a Norfolk firefighter, helped at a grass fire Monday afternoon west of Hadar.
Joy said the conditions were probably the worst he has seen and the dryness made it ripe for grass fires.
Firefighters battled not just smoke, but also dust blown into the air that reduced visibility to about 30 or 40 yards, he said.
"It's like working a grass fire in a blizzard," Joy said.
Hadar, Pierce, Battle Creek, Osmond and Norfolk firefighters were all involved, whether helping to control the Hadar fire, which was near 847 Road and 548 Avenue, or another one two miles south of Pierce.
The Hadar fire started as an open burn that got away from the people doing the burn, Joy said. At one time, there were probably 50 to 60 firefighters - including 21 from Hadar - and up to 15 pieces of equipment used to fight the fire, he said.
A corn crib and a farm wagon were total losses, said Gary Schuett, Hadar fire chief, estimated at about $1,000. A line of grass and small trees were also damaged.
Farm tractors with discs to turn the soil were used to control the fire in the fields. One firefighter was treated at the scene, Schuett said.
About the time the Pierce firefighters were finished assisting with that fire around 5:30 p.m., they were called to another fire that broke out about two miles south of Pierce.
Pierce Fire Chief Terry Nathan said Pierce firefighters were called to assist the Hadar fire at 3:41 p.m. and then called for another grass fire south of town at 5:39 p.m.
All firetrucks that were available responded to the Pierce fire, he said.
A strip about a mile long and 500 feet wide was burned, Nathan said. The fire jumped a county road and continued to move north, he said.
"With the help of farmers and a disc, it was stopped at a shelter belt, which took a lot of time cleaning up in the shelter belt," he said.
Firefighters were on the scene for about four hours and about 100 acres of cornfield and tall grasses burned.
A witness said the Nebraska State Patrol helped block roads in the area so firefighters would not have to worry about onlookers.
By about 8:30 p.m., the roads south of Pierce were reopened except for the road on the south side of the fire, where some flames were still visible, the witness said.
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