NEAR SPRINGVIEW, Neb. (KTIV) -
The wildfires in north-central Nebraska are growing. Officials say the largest one, dubbed the Fairfield Creek fire, expanded from 92 to 104 square miles, on Wednesday.
This is the area we're talking about in the north central part of the Cornhusker state.
The fires are in Keya Paha, Cherry and Brown counties.
That's north of Ainsworth and east of Valentine.
Many businesses and agencies have responded to the fires, including some Siouxland fire departments.
Five members of the Bloomfield Volunteer Fire Department headed out on Monday night.
This video was shot by Jody Mach, a volunteer who was on scene.
They were near Springview, Nebraska fighting the Mills Fire.
So our job with a slew of other departments and all of the ranchers was to start back burning it so it couldn't come out of the gully," Kelly Kumm, captain of the Bloomfield Fire Department and a paramedic said.
Tuesday, the department was helping keep flames away from a house.
But, they had to bring in more help to keep the fire back.
Tanker planes dumped a red "slurry" around the house.
"The Bloomfield Fire Department took control of house that they were defending. They ended up bringing in helicopters and they brought in an airplane tanker and they slurry bombed around the house and then the federal guys showed up with 20 Wildland firefighters and it was pretty secure," Kumm said.
The firefighters worked a 24-hour shift and came home last night.
There is also word that other Northeast Nebraska departments that have sent firefighters to help fight these fires.
Photo courtesy: Captain Kelly Kumm, Bloomfield Fire Department
