The Cottonwood Fire is 129,253 acres and 100 percent contained, (Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 2, Courtesy)
NEBRASKA — While the Cottonwood Fire in central Nebraska has reached 100 percent containment, area fire departments responded to the Johnson Hills Fire near Bertrand over the weekend.
Initial Attack: The incident responded to two requests for assistance with new fires that started Sunday. Two initial-attack groups and two Black Hawk helicopters mobilized to the Johnson Hills Fire, southeast of Bertrand, Nebraska. All resources will remain on scene Monday, continuing to assist local volunteer fire department personnel.
One initial-attack group mobilized to assist a fire that started near the village of Maywood, Nebraska, and returned to their staging area at the end shift. The 20-person hand crew assisting the Curry Timber Fire east of Peru, Nebraska, completed the hazard-tree felling operation Sunday and will join other initial-attack resources positioned in Columbus, Nebraska, Monday.
Rocky Mountain CIMT 2 is providing statewide initial-attack resources to local fire departments—many of whom rely on volunteer firefighters—that need and request assistance suppressing any new fires that may start. To reduce response times, the team has positioned six initial-attack groups in communities across the state—Alliance, Ogallala, Broken Bow and Columbus. Four Black Hawk helicopters from the Nebraska and Iowa National Guards equipped to conduct water drops are also assisting with existing fires and are available for any new fires.
Ashby and Minor Fires: Fire activity was minimal Sunday. Engine crews are patrolling and extinguishing hotspots along and within each fire’s perimeter. Fire behavior is expected to remain minimal on both fires Monday as crews continue making progress toward full containment.
Cottonwood Fire: Within the fire’s interior, lingering hotspots are occasionally igniting patches of unburned vegetation, flaring up and producing abundant smoke. While this fire activity is not expected to burn beyond the fire’s perimeter, a small contingent of engines crews continues to patrol the fire and extinguish interior flare-ups that are safe to access and threatening values at risk. Two National Guard Black Hawk helicopters dropped water on some interior flare-ups Sunday afternoon. With critical fire weather conditions in the area again Monday, expect continued fire activity within the fire’s interior. The Cottonwood Fire is 129,253 acres and 100 percent contained.
Weather and Fire Behavior: A Red Flag Warning is in effect for most of western Nebraska Monday from 11 a.m. to midnight MDT. Elsewhere, critical fire weather conditions persist. Temperatures remain well above normal, with highs likely reaching the mid to high 80s Monday. Afternoon relative humidity levels could be in the single digits. Strong westerly winds are expected. Because the vegetation—both living and dead—is historically dry, any new fires that may start would exhibit active to extreme fire behavior with Monday’s weather conditions. Remain vigilant as you work or recreate outdoors; call 911 to report new fires. If wildfire smoke is affecting the air quality of your area, a reliable source for information is Fire.AirNow.gov.
Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) Lifted: Rocky Mountain CIMT 2 is aware that local landowners often use aerial reconnaissance in the day-to-day management of their ranches. Fire managers accommodate that need by reducing or removing TFRs as soon as fire suppression operations allow. There are currently no TFRs in effect in conjunction with the western Nebraska fires. Incident aircraft continue to support the fire suppression effort, so reducing aerial traffic around all fires helps keep the air crews safe.
Ashby Fire Statistics
Size: 36,004 acres
Containment: 51%
Personnel: 358
Cause: undetermined Size:
Minor Fire Statistics
14,082 acres
Containment: 30%
Personnel: 7
Cause: undetermined
