By SCOTT CARLSON
North Platte Post
Update 7.15.22 5:25 a.m.
The Red Willow Western Rural Fire Department will continue to be on the mile marker 26 fire through the next several days along with members of the wildland incident response team and numerous mutual aid departments.
Officials continue to ask residents who are visiting the area to stay north of the dam area and not to travel south across the dam and into burned areas.
A small system that came through on Thursday evening caused several hot spots to flare up.
The fire has burned approximately 720 acres, according to officials.
Officials also ask that you respect the homeowners and land owners in the area and do not drive on their property.
This fire will be a multi-day event with air and ground operations.
. . .
McCOOK, Neb.-Fire officials said two fires that started Wednesday afternoon near Red Willow State Recreation Area, north of McCook, remained active on Thursday.
The Red Willow Western Rural Fire Department said on Wednesday afternoon, personnel responded to the report of a cabin, grass, and trees on fire on the southwest end of the lake, now named the Road 383 Fire.
Officials said mutual aid was called in from Maywood, Curtis, Hayes County, and Culbertson, along with personnel from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
Crews worked around the cabins and tree lines to keep the fire at bay and protect other structures from loss. Firefighters performed burnout operations to keep the fire contained.
Officials said a small structure was lost and areas around the cabins sustained considerable damage.
As firefighters battled the Road 383 Fire, the report of a second fire was reported nearby.
The fire near mile marker 26 on Highway 83 and Road 723, now dubbed the Mile Marker 26 Fire, started in a ditch, according to officials, and quickly spread across the wheat stubble and dry pasture ground.
Mutual aid was called in from Indianola, Bartley Beaver Valley, Decatur County, Holbrook, Edison, Arapahoe, Cambridge, Stratton, Wauneta, Palisade, Trenton, and Benkelman. Air support from the Wildland Incident Response Team and the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency also responded.
Officials determined the best course of action was to let the fire burn to the face of the dam while protecting structures and personnel.
As of Thursday morning, officials said the fires are still active and ask residents to stay away from the southwest and southeast side of Red Willow State Recreation Area as firefighters continue to watch for flare-ups and extinguish hot spots.
Officials thanked area farmers for their assistance and community members for providing water and other necessities. Officials said, at this time, they are not in need of any more supplies.
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