A tanker departs the scene of a fire near Cessna Road in Buffalo County during the early afternoon of March 28, (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
ELM CREEK — On March 28, 2026, at approximately 12:11 p.m., Elm Creek Volunteer Fire & Rescue was dispatched to a reported grass fire at Cessna Road and Highway 30. While units were enroute to the Cessna Road fire a second, separate grass fire, was dispatched at approximately 12:20 p.m. at 24th Road & Barley Road.
Due to a Red Flag Warning that was in place, and a second reported fire, mutual aid was immediately requested. Upon arrival at the Cessna Road Fire, crews found a fast, wind driven fire, burning through corn stalks and pasture ground, spreading at a rapid rate to the north. With the size of the fire and structures located directly in the path of the fire, a Buffalo County-All-Call was requested along with mutual aid from Phelps and Dawson County Departments.
The Cessna Road Fire burned approximately 144 acres. With the assistance from several local farmers and businesses that arrived with tractors/discs and water trucks, the Departments were able to protect and save all of the structures inside the perimeter of the fire. Several hundred hay bales and a silage pile, along with numerous fence posts were lost in the fire. The Village of Elm Creek & Buffalo County Roads Department assisted with heavy equipment to fully extinguish the hay bale piles.
In coordination with Emergency Management, assistance was requested and then received from Custer County, Kearney County, Hall and Howard County Fire Departments to monitor the fire perimeter through the overnight hours.
The 24th Road Fire burned approximately 4 acres and numerous hay bales as well. The fire was located in and around several farm buildings and a dry creek bed. Due to the terrain and proximity to the buildings, several responding mutual aid departments were re-directed to assist with the 24″ Road.
Elm Creek was assisted by the Holdrege, Bertrand, Loomis, Overton, Lexington, Eddyville, Miller, Ansley, Broken Bow, Merna, Cairo, Farwell, Minden, Axtell, Amherst, Pleasanton, Ravenna, Shelton, Gibbon, and Kearney Fire Departments. Natural Resource District, Dawson Public Power, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, Buffalo County Dispatchers, Buffalo County Emergency Management, Buffalo County Roads Department, Village of Elm Creek, multiple local Farmers and Construction Companies, Kearney Hy-Vee, Foster’s Family Food, The Crick Restaurant and Bar, and a whole army of volunteers working behind the scenes to prepare meals and coordinating donations.
Elm Creek Volunteer Fire & Rescue would like to sincerely thank the responding departments and community members for their assistance during these incidents and continued support. We would also like to thank the community for the numerous donations of drinks and supplies we have received after this busy start to 2026.
With the ongoing dry conditions still projected to continue we ask that everyone please exercise extreme caution when working outdoors near dry grass and brush. The County-Wide Burn Ban is still in place until further notice.
