Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner says residents who were evacuated during Sunday’s wildfires in the southwest part of the county were allowed to return home around 9:30 Monday morning.
Non-residents are still not being allowed into the area. Between 120-150 firefighters from 19 agencies helped battle and contain the fire, which started around 2:45 Sunday afternoon. At least three homes and some outbuildings were lost in the fire, but Wagner says had it not been for the effort of about 100 farmers, the damage would have been much worse.
“Farmers in the area did a great job on their own of getting in their tractors, getting their discs out and creating firebreaks around residences in that area. It wasn’t organized at all, but it was well orchestrated,” Wagner says.
The sheriff’s department says about 70 head of cattle and horses were taken from the fire scene and relocated to the Lancaster Event Center fairgrounds.
Lincoln Southwest High School served as a shelter for families who needed a place to go after evacuating. Wagner says he stopped by around 8:00 Sunday night and found one family and their pets at the school.
Wagner also says two firefighters from the Crete Volunteer Fire Department were injured trying to contain the fire. “They were in a ditch. The fire went over them.” One of the firefighters suffered burns and the other firefighter suffered minor injuries. Wagner says this is the worst wildfire he has ever seen in the county.
Lancaster County Commission Chair Deb Schorr says the county issued a disaster declaration following Sunday’s fire. “It goes to the state and allows us to either ask for or request support to possibly access finances to aid in the recovery effort.”
The fire was located in an area from 86th to SW 100th Street and from West Panama Road in southwest Lancaster County to Apple Road in northwestern Gage County. The State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.