Document, document, document. That was the key message for both local fire departments and landowners affected by the area’s recent wildfires, shared during a briefing at the Dayspring Bank Event Center in Gothenburg on Friday morning, March 20.

Gov. Jim Pillen was joined by Sherry Vinton, director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, and Erv Portis, assistant director of the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, in addressing emergency management representatives, volunteers, and others who have been on the frontlines of firefighting efforts in the Cottonwood Fire south and west of Gothenburg.

As of Friday, the fire was reported as 80% contained; however, with predictions of high heat and strong winds heading into the weekend, officials cautioned that things may change. That’s exactly what happened.

Record-setting heat blanketed the area on Saturday, and as afternoon gave way to evening, the winds picked up - and so did the flames. In a crew briefing by Deputy Incident Commander Dan Dallas on Sunday morning, it was shared that fire behavior on the Cottonwood Fire increased as expected as a result of those weather conditions. Commander Dallas reported that “brush and trees left unburned or partially burned during the fire’s initial growth frequently ignited, burned readily, and produced abundant smoke on Saturday afternoon.”

Though additional resources were deployed and two National Guard Black Hawk helicopters provided water drops, the fire grew approximately 100 acres in the uncontained area on the fire’s northwest corner.

On Saturday afternoon, the Gothenburg Volunteer Fire Department responded with personnel and grass rigs as fire activity also increased south of Gothenburg near Wiggins Canyon; engine crews successfully suppressed the flames and held the containment line. Crews around Jeffrey Reservoir remained on the fireline late Saturday night, working around structures and on the fire’s uncontained edge.

Commander Dallas confirmed that three unoccupied firefighting vehicles were also burned over and destroyed on Saturday. No one was injured, and an investigation is underway.

All of this came as evacuation orders were being lifted for residents of Jeffrey Lake. The good news is that Saturday’s conditions did not alter that, and all evacuation orders have been lifted. Cooler temperatures, coupled with decreased winds and humidity on Sunday, allowed crews to get back on top of the fire once again.

As of press time Tuesday, the Cottonwood Fire was 98% contained and had burned 128,289 acres. The cause of the fire remains undetermined.