By Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands
Chadron, Neb. — U.S. Forest Service and volunteer fire department cooperators began initial attack on the South Fork Fire earlier Tuesday evening. The fire was discovered around 4:45 p.m. in the area of Soldier Creek Wilderness of the Nebraska National Forest, Pine Ridge Ranger District.
As of Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. 8989 acres have burned.
The Soldier Creek Wilderness contains heavy fuels, including forested timber with dead and downed material from previous wildfires. These conditions, combined with high winds in the area, caused the fire to jump Nebraska Highway 20 and move southeast. Highway 20, adjacent to the Soldier Creek Wilderness, is currently closed. A red flag warning remains in effect through Wednesday evening. The cause of The South Fork Fire is currently unknown.
Additional resources have been ordered for the fire, including four more crews, five engines and air support, as the flames have spread quickly during the ongoing wind event in the Nebraska Panhandle. Local U.S. Forest Service fire managers have also ordered a Complex Incident Management Team due to the rapid growth of the wildfire.Updates will be posted on Nebraska National Forests’ social media channels and the South Fork Fire InciWeb page as they become available.