Last Tuesday Jan. 13, the Central Platte Rangeland Alliance met at the Gothenburg Senior Center for an informational meeting to kick off the 2026 prescribed burn season. At 6 p.m., the group shared soups and potluck sides, then segued into the official meeting at 7 p.m.

The first order of business was the election of officers. Each officer serves a three-year term, and one position is up for election each year. This year, the group re-elected Mark Alberts as president, while Dirk Rubenthaler retains his position as secretary and Mick Peterson as treasurer.

A total of 64 members were in attendance, and Alberts shared with the group the history of CPRA and plans for growth across the area. Central Platte was originally an offshoot of the Lincoln County burn group, Loess Canyons Rangeland Alliance. Since then, CPRA has helped start a burn group in Callaway and has worked in tandem with other groups in the area to complete multiple prescribed burns annually.

Two new areas are attempting to form burn associations in 2026, one in the Maywood area and one in Gosper County. Gosper will have a Prescribed Burn Association Interest meeting on Jan. 21 at 6 p.m. at the Elwood Fire Hall, and Maywood will have a meeting on Tues. Jan. 27. Call Mark Alberts for more information at 308-5292162. Members were encouraged to attend and support these new endeavors, as there are always more pastures that need cleaned up.

“We’ve burned a lot of acres, but if you get out there on a hill and look around, you’ll see we have a lot left to do,” Alberts commented.

The CPRA has about 10 upcoming burns on the slate, as long as the weather cooperates. The group will need to see some extra moisture to facilitate the prescribed burns and will work with local fire chiefs to get burn permits as the season begins.

The group heard updates on funding options through Pheasants Forever, NRCS, and the NRD. Cost-shares and pasture deferment payments are available on a firstcome, first-serve basis through programs offered by these entities.

Prescribed burns are run in cooperative fashion, with landowners and volunteers working together to facilitate. In order to get your land burned, you are expected to help with other members’ burns. If you are unavailable to help, a list of substitutes was provided, allowing members to hire a replacement for themselves to work the burn.

After business was concluded, Broken Bow native R.P. Smith delivered a crowd-pleasing selection of his original cowboy poetry, ending the night on an entertaining note.

Door prizes were also awarded to most attendees, with donations from the following local businesses: Flatwater Bank, Country Partners Cooperative, Stutterheim Ag, Farmacy, Dayspring Bank, Ambler Ag, Maline Seed & Fence, Landmark Implement, Pizza Hut, The Home Agency and Pony Express Chevrolet.

Anyone interested in learning more about prescribed rangeland burns can contact Mark at 308-529-2162.