The Morrill Fire, which began Thursday northeast of Bridgeport in Morrill County, has expanded to 572,082 acres, according to the latest perimeter data from the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) and Watch Duty mapping.
The blaze is spreading rapidly across rangeland in Nebraska’s Panhandle and Sandhills region, making it the largest wildfire in the state’s history.
Click here to see the map.
Cause:
Early indications suggest the fire may have been sparked by a downed power line during high winds, though officials have not yet confirmed the exact cause.
Counties affected:
The fire has primarily impacted Morrill, Garden, Arthur, Keith and parts of Grant counties. It has spread north of Lake McConaughy and near areas such as Clear Creek, though in some areas it has not crossed the North Platte River.
Evacuations and alerts:
According to Watch Duty, all remaining evacuation orders in Keith County were lifted Sunday night.
Also Read: Fact check: What caused Vondelkerk church fire in the Netherlands? Debunking viral claim
Fatality reported:
Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen said the fire claimed one life on Thursday in Arthur County. The victim was identified as 86-year-old Rose White.
Family members said family was at the center of White’s life. Each year, she brought loved ones together to read the Christmas story from the family Bible. She was known for sending birthday and holiday cards to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
“I’m really going to miss hearing her read that Christmas story every year,” Rose’s Grandaughter-in-Law Audrey White told News Channel Nebraska Panhandle. “She would take the phone off the hook to make sure no one would call and interrupt. It didn’t matter if people were taking pictures with there phones, she had her disposable camera out to make sure she captured every single moment. I’m gonna miss her so much.”
