By Chase Zagurski
OMAHA Neb. – Firefighters from eastern Nebraska are back home after helping battle wildfires that scorched parts of the state’s western region.
Officials said the Morrill and Cottonwood fires were declared 100% contained on March 25 and March 27, respectively, following weeks of firefighting efforts.
More than a dozen firefighters from volunteer departments across Douglas County deployed to assist crews on the ground, marking what leaders described as the county’s first expeditionary firefighting mission.
The crews used specialized brush trucks designed for rural terrain, focusing on extinguishing spot fires and handling mop-up operations. Their work allowed local volunteer firefighters, many of whom had been working for days, to rest and recover.
“They just needed manpower and equipment out there, just to give the crews that were there … time to recuperate and take another breather in case more fires happen,” said Kaden Ross of Bennington Fire & Rescue.
Ross was among 18 firefighters from departments in Bennington, Boys Town, Irvington, Ralston, Valley and Waterloo who made the trip. The group assembled at Boys Town Fire & Rescue headquarters in west Omaha before traveling more than five hours to the fire zones.
Boys Town Fire & Rescue Chief, Nick Thoreen, led the task force. He said the deployment highlights the commitment of volunteer firefighters across Douglas County to their lifesaving mission and offered a unique opportunity for the county’s primarily suburban firefighting force to get more experience in wild firefighting.
“That’s a big deal. That says a lot about the people that are working, volunteering in the communities in Douglas County, that people are willing to take the time off to go help others in need,” Thoreen said. “And not just for the ability to go out and help them, but also to learn how to do this stuff and bring it back here and help provide a better service.
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