Officials with Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team One say local firefighters and landowners have already done significant work to slow the spread of the Cottonwood Fire in western Nebraska.
Scott Beacham with Rocky Mountain Team One said the team has arrived to assist local resources as the fire continues burning in Keith County.
“The Rocky Mountain Team 1 is made up of folks from Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Nebraska,” Beacham said. “We're here to help the local resources get a handle on this large fire.”
Beecham praised the response from local departments and landowners who have been working to contain the fire under difficult conditions.
“The local resources have done an excellent job, no problems,” he said. “We're just coming here to assist that.”
Fire activity increased at times due to shifting winds, but firefighters have been able to establish holding lines in several areas of the fire.
Beacham said crews saw “some pretty intense heat boiling up” near the Jeffery Lake area at times, but firefighters have been working to keep the fire from spreading out of the hills and into surrounding fields.
“The actions of both the local fire departments and the local landowners have done a great job of keeping that fire up in the hill country,” Beecham said.
Officials say more detailed updates and mapping information are expected as crews continue gathering intelligence on the fire.