Photos, videos: Wildfire threatens southern Lancaster County
A grass fire whipped by strong winds threatened areas of southern Lancaster County on Sunday.
A day after fires swept across southern Lancaster County, Hallam Fire Chief Ryan Skillett hoses down a burning tree at Olive Creek State Recreation Area.
Hallam Fire Chief Ryan Skillett hoses down a burning tree at Olive Creek State Recreation Area near Hallman on Monday.
Hallam firefighter Bryan Heckman hoses down a hot spot with help from Fire Chief Ryan Skillett at Olive Creek State Recreation Area on Monday.
Sunday's grass fire scored this field along Southwest 100th Street in southern Lancaster County.
A tree is seen burning at Olive Creek Lake State Recreation Area near Hallman, Monday, Oct. 24, 2022.
A grass fire burnt the trees at Olive Creek Lake State Recreation Area near Hallman, Monday, Oct. 24, 2022.
A home is seen safe from the path of a grass fire in this photo taken on West Princeton Road near Hallam, Monday, Oct. 24, 2022.
Trees, grasses, and other vegetations are seen burnt after a grass fire in this photo taken on West Princeton Road near Hallam, Monday, Oct. 24, 2022.
A field on Wendelin Road near Hallam is seen darken after a grass fire, Monday, Oct. 24, 2022.
Hallam firefighters respond to hot spots at Olive Creek Lake State Recreation Area near Hallman, Monday, Oct. 24, 2022.
Hallam firefighter Bryan Heckman retracts the hose as he fights fire hot spots at Olive Creek Lake State Recreation Area near Hallman, Monday, Oct. 24, 2022.
Fires that swept across southern Lancaster County last month destroyed three homes, including a residence on West Wendelin Road near Olive Creek Lake.
Smoke is seen rising from hot spots on West Princeton Road near Hallam, Monday, Oct. 24, 2022.
A grass fire burnt the trees at Olive Creek Lake State Recreation Area near Hallman, Monday, Oct. 24, 2022.
Olive Creek State Recreation Area on Monday morning after a wildfire ripped through the area.
Before evacuation orders were even announced Sunday, hundreds of area residents had already started to mobilize — doing what they could to protect their homes and their county, officials said.
A farmer had been operating a shredder in Gage County on Sunday when weeds or grass being shredded ignited, kicking off the destructive blaze, according the State Fire Marshal.
Extreme drought now covers large swaths of the Panhandle, southwest Nebraska and north-central and northeast Nebraska. Most of Lancaster County remains in severe drought.
"When you're crawling through the fire, I was just thinking to myself, 'Is this really happening?'" the 54-year-old said.
Seven people, including four children, went to an Omaha hospital Tuesday night after being injured during a house fire in the Florence neighborhood.
