BEATRICE – Rain has been a more than welcome sight Wednesday, after another day of wildfires in Gage County.


Emergency Manager Lisa Wiegand says firefighters and equipment were busy with three separate fires Tuesday. One broke out at around 12:40 p.m., in the Odell area…Southwest 75th and State Line Road. Five departments battled that fire apparently touched off by a baler.


A second fire happened later northeast of Pickrell….where firefighters and equipment from five departments responded to South 96th and Cherry Road.  Then, last night, Filley Firefighters were sent to a wildfire touched off by a downed power line.


"There's plenty of fuel sources out there, even though crops have been harvested. With the winds yesterday, fire departments were grateful for the mutual aid."


Ongoing dry conditions, low humidity and high winds have plagued the area for the past few weeks. Wiegand says they’ve held off on calling a halt to field work during the period. "It's really up to the individual, but I can assure you that landowners out there are aware of the severity of the situation. They're taking precautions, also."

Wiegand says harvest activity is nearly finished in the county, although a few fields remain. "Yesterday, the impacts of just...blowing dust and dirt, especially in those areas that were impacted a couple of weeks ago with fire. We just haven't had moisture...guys have put some seed, rye in the ground, but it's just laying there. And, I know dispatch had calls coming in thinking it was smoke, when it fact, it was dust."


Wednesday through mid-afternoon, some needed rain fell in Beatrice…nearly one-and-half-inches.