VALENTINE – Temperatures remained near the 100-degree mark Wednesday as firefighters continued eliminating hot spots at the scene of the Big Rock Fire at Valentine, Nebraska.
About 50 Nebraska National Guard and 70 civilian firefighters remained on the scene of the wild fire that destroyed nearly 3,000 acres at the north end of the northwestern Nebraska town. Since the fire was reported at 4:33 p.m. Sunday, firefighters from 47 Nebraska, South Dakota and Kansas fire departments have fought the blaze in the canyons and on the ridges.
Hot spots still remain throughout the area burned in the fire, and today’s emphasis was on cooling and eliminating those problem areas. Ground crews were working through canyons looking for smoldering materials, and two Nebraska National Guard helicopters continued to dump water from the air. Particular attention was being paid to the edges of the burned areas, as winds were expected to shift later in the day. Blowing embers could ignite unburned materials.
The fire burned through canyon lands north of Valentine and into the north edge of town, causing the loss of 10 homes and damage to another 10. An undetermined number of outbuildings were also destroyed. Only four minor injuries were reported as a result of the blaze, all to fire personnel.
The Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s office investigated the fire, and the official cause was determined to be an electrical arc caused by a tree limb rubbing against a power line. Sparks from that arc ignited grass and underbrush.
The city’s communication tower, located on a hill north of town, was destroyed in the fire, disrupting some radio and internet communication. Fire personnel were able to communicate through a command truck radio system, and a replacement tower and radio system was dispatched from the City of Lincoln, Nebraska. That equipment was on-site and fully operational on Tuesday afternoon, restoring communication capabilities.