Morrill Fire
| Morrill Fire | |
|---|---|
| Part of the 2026 Nebraska wildfires | |
Aerial view of the fire on March 14 | |
| Date(s) | March 12, 2026 – present |
| Location | Keith County, Nebraska, Arthur County, Nebraska, Grant County, Nebraska, Garden County, Nebraska, Morrill County, Nebraska |
| Coordinates | 41°27′46″N 102°33′13″W / 41.4627°N 102.5536°W |
| Statistics | |
| Perimeter | 67% contained |
| Burned area | 643,361 acres (260,359 ha) |
| Impacts | |
| Deaths | 1 |
| Ignition | |
| Cause | Under investigation |
The Morill Fire is a massive wildfire that is burning in Keith County, Nebraska, Arthur County, Nebraska, Grant County, Nebraska, Garden County, Nebraska, and Morrill County, Nebraska. As of March 18, the fire has burned 643,361 acres (260,359 ha) and is 67% contained.[1] It is the largest wildfire in the United States during the 2026 wildfire season.[2]
Progression
The Morrill Fire was first reported at approximately 2:53 p.m. CST on March 12, 2025, northeast of Bridgeport, Nebraska. The cause remains under investigation,[1] though Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen suspected that the fire was caused by sparks from electrical wires popped by high winds.[3]
Following the formation of the fire, the Morrill Fire traveled over 70 miles in under 12 hours, overrunning the area of the Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge.[4]
Background
The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center issued a Day 1 Fire Weather Outlook for March 12, 2026, highlighting an Extremely Critical risk for portions of western Nebraska and eastern Wyoming. Driven by 20–35 miles per hour (32–56 km/h) winds, and 15-20% humidity and low vegetation, the conditions created a high-impact, rapid fire spread environment.[5]
Effects
The fire caused evacuations for Lewellen and areas around Lake McConaughy. It is the largest recorded single wildfire in Nebraska state history.[6] The fire has killed one civilian.[7]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Morrill Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
- ^ "Live US Wildfire Monitor". Wildfire Radar. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
- ^ Ourada, Jackie; Byars, Macy (March 14, 2026). "Governor says Nebraska grandmother died in Morrill Fire trying to escape". Nebraska Examiner. Archived from the original on March 18, 2026. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
When asked about the suspected causes of the fires, Pillen said the Morrill Fire's cause was "electrical in nature with wind popping wires and sparks."
- ^ Bassler, Hunter (March 16, 2026). "Critically important prairie widely burned in Nebraska's largest wildfire". Wildfire Today. Archived from the original on March 18, 2026. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
The vast majority of the Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge has burned in the Morrill Fire, infrared flyover maps show. The refuge is located in the Nebraska Sandhills, labeled by researchers as the world's most important intact prairie due to its status as one of the world's last large native prairies that has not substantially been modified or converted to farmland.
- ^ "Storm Prediction Center Day 1 Fire Weather Outlook". spc.noaa.gov. Storm Prediction Center. March 12, 2026. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
- ^ "Crews work to contain 3 Nebraska wildfires, including largest in state history". yahoo.com. Yahoo News. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
- ^ "One dead in western Nebraska due to Morrill wildfire". KNOP-TV. March 13, 2026. Retrieved March 17, 2026.