Morrill Fire - Largest in Nebraska State History
NEBRASKA - On Thursday, March 12th, a vegetation fire broke out with visible heat signatures detectable on satellite. As winds shifted and the fire headed south quickly, mandatory evacuations were prompted near the town of Oshkosh, NE. Since then, the fire has continued to grow, becoming the largest in state history for the state of Nebraska, named the Morrill Fire.
Acres: 572, 804
Containment: 18%
Status: Active
Counties involved: Keith, Arthur, Garden, and Morrill
Additional fires broke out across the state on this critical fire risk day, including the Cottonwood Fire, which has now burned over 130,000 acres with 40% containment. This fire broke southeast of North Platte in Dawon, Lincoln, and Frontier counties. Evacuations were ordered last week but lifted on Saturday, March 14th.
The governor of Nebraska Jim Pillen issued an emergency proclamation to unlock state resources and support the response to multiple wildfires in central and Western Nebraska. The fires include:
The Road 203 Fire (within the Nebraska National Forest) - 35,912 acres | 36% contained
Cottonwood Fire (near Brady and Gothenburg) - 131,259 acres | 40% contained
Morrill County Fire - 572,804 acres | 18% contained
Anderson Bridge Fire (west of Valentine) - 17,400 acres | 60% contained
Fire Outlooks and Forecast
Fire weather outlooks have been issued by the Storm Prediction Center through Wednesday afternoon. Most of the Plains are under elevated fire danger with winds over 30 mph likely and relative humidity down to the single digits.
Wind Forecast
Winds up to 20-30 mph are likely across the Plains which will dry out soils east of the front range and heat up surface temperatures as well.
Relative Humidity Forecast
The air in the western Plains remains very dry this week, with relative humidity levels down to the teens and single digits. Typically relative humidity less than 25% becomes favorable for fire weather concerns.
A statewide burn ban is in effect for Nebraska, issued by Gov. Pillen through March 27, 2026, due to extreme wildfire risks. This prohibits all open burning (bonfires, brush, and trash) to protect against fire dangers with the exception against local fire chiefs for authorized burning.
