Fire officials say containment continues to improve on both the Cottonwood and Morrill Fires as crews begin to demobilize some resources while remaining prepared for changing weather conditions.
Operations Section Chief Rob Powell with Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 1 says crews are still positioned on both fires to respond to any flare-ups as warmer, drier conditions continue across the region.
“We have resources out there to take care of anything that should flare up with the weather that's coming in the next couple days,” Powell said. “We want to keep a staff up there just to make sure that anything that does show heat or put up a smoke column… we have resources there to take care of that.”
Officials say activity on the Morrill Fire remains minimal, with crews continuing to patrol and monitor for any heat or smoke. Resources remain in place to quickly respond if conditions change.
Powell says overall conditions continue to improve on the fire.
“All in all, things are looking really well,” he said.
On the Cottonwood Fire, strong southerly winds Monday tested containment lines along the northern edge, but officials report the fire did not spread beyond its current perimeter. Crews working on uncontained sections of the northwest side continue to make steady progress, with the fire now at 98 percent containment.
Officials say both fires are nearing full containment, and as a result, some personnel and equipment will begin to be released throughout the week. However, crews will remain staffed to continue patrol, respond to smoke reports, and address any changes in fire behavior.
Powell says demobilization will continue over the next several days, with Saturday expected to be the team’s final operational shift.
“We're going to actually start demobing… letting people go that were assigned to this fire here over the next few days,” Powell said.
State and federal officials also toured the fire area Monday, including U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Governor Jim Pillen, Senators Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts, and Congressman Adrian Smith. The group visited the incident command post in Ogallala and met with landowners impacted by the fires.
Fire managers say support for local fire departments remains a priority, with multiple crews and equipment still staged and ready to assist with any new fire starts across Nebraska. The National Weather Service has also issued a Fire Weather Watch for Wednesday covering much of the area surrounding both fires.
Weather conditions continue to play a key role moving forward. Temperatures are expected to climb near 80 degrees Tuesday, with humidity dropping into the teens and winds remaining light but variable. Officials say fire behavior on the Cottonwood Fire is expected to remain moderate, while the Morrill Fire should continue to show minimal activity. However, the risk for new fire starts remains high due to critically dry vegetation.
Powell also addressed recent mapping changes that showed an increase in acreage on the Cottonwood Fire, explaining the adjustment reflects updated containment lines rather than new fire growth.
“We’re feeling really solid about it, but you know, weird things happen,” Powell said. “So, we want to make sure that we’re able to engage if something does get active.”
A temporary flight restriction remains in place over the northwest portion of the Cottonwood Fire, and officials are reminding pilots to avoid the area so firefighting aircraft can operate safely.
As of Tuesday morning, the Cottonwood Fire is estimated at 129,103 acres and 98 percent contained with 247 personnel assigned. The Morrill Fire is estimated at 642,029 acres and 98 percent contained with 191 personnel. Officials say crews remain in place to ensure containment holds as conditions evolve through the week.