Pillen mobilizes Guard for wildfire threats
- Governor Jim Pillen issued a proclamation placing the Nebraska National Guard on alert to help respond to potential wildfires. - Order makes Guard resources readily available across the state, citing recent grass fires and smoke near Lincoln and Denton. - State officials said the move speeds firefighting support and resource coordination, aiming to prevent larger blazes (1011now.com).
Gov. Jim Pillen on April 20 put parts of the Nebraska National Guard on active-duty status so crews and aircraft can move faster if new wildfires break out. (governor.nebraska.gov) The proclamation covers aviation assets, support personnel and equipment, according to the governor’s office. Nebraska Public Media reported the order places certain Guard assets on active status rather than sending the full force into the field immediately. (governor.nebraska.gov) (nebraskapublicmedia.org) Pillen said high winds, low humidity and dry conditions remained a threat even after he rescinded a statewide burn ban on April 2. The National Weather Service office in North Platte showed Red Flag Warnings in parts of Nebraska on April 20, the day of the proclamation. (governor.nebraska.gov 1) (governor.nebraska.gov 2) (weather.gov) The order follows Nebraska’s March wildfire emergency, when Pillen said fires in central and western Nebraska had burned hundreds of thousands of acres, forced evacuations and closed roads because of smoke and low visibility. On March 13, his office said the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency had received 24 wildfire reports in 24 hours. (governor.nebraska.gov) In that March response, the state authorized 26 Nebraska National Guard soldiers and airmen, a fixed-wing fire suppression aircraft, a helicopter crew for water drops and hand crews to support local firefighters. A day later, the governor’s office said three of the state’s largest fires had damaged about 600,000 acres. (governor.nebraska.gov 1) (governor.nebraska.gov 2) Nebraska Public Media reported the Morrill and Cottonwood fires later were described by the governor as having burned nearly 775,000 acres combined and killing one person, as the state sought more time for a federal disaster request. That request asked for a 30-day extension that would move Nebraska’s filing deadline to May 27. (nebraskapublicmedia.org) Dryness is still widespread. Nebraska Public Media reported that, as of April 16 data, nearly 82% of Nebraska was in severe drought or worse and nearly 44% was in extreme drought, with conditions worsening in western Nebraska. (nebraskapublicmedia.org) (droughtmonitor.unl.edu) The practical effect of Monday’s order is speed: Guard aircraft, crews and support staff can be tapped without waiting for a larger emergency declaration after flames spread. Pillen said Adjutant General Craig Strong would lead the state’s disaster response if the Guard is needed again. (governor.nebraska.gov) (nema.nebraska.gov)
