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(Valentine, NE) Gov. Dave Heineman today saw first-hand the devastation caused by a canyon fire near Valentine when he toured the area.
“This is Nebraska at its best,” Gov. Heineman said. “Even in this difficult situation of extreme heat coupled with the unpredictability of fighting a canyon fire, there are 30 departments and more than 140 firefighters from both Nebraska and South Dakota towns working through the night to try to contain this fire. Many have had a chance to rest and are headed back to address the hot spots that remain.
“I particularly want to commend Valentine and Cherry County residents for the outpouring of support they’ve shown for these fire crews. Local businesses have donated food and residents have been bringing water to the fire hall here all day. Motels have provided rooms for firefighters to rest before returning to the canyon, and have offered a place to stay for the residents whose homes have been damaged by the fire. ”
In addition to the two helicopters sent early this morning to support firefighting efforts, the Nebraska National Guard has dispatched two fire truck teams from the Norfolk area, along with 37 soldiers from the Chadron area who are trained and certified to fight fires on federal land. The Guard also has a 5,000 gallon truck en route to Valentine. A total of 60 Nebraska Guard soldiers are involved in the response.
Eilene Brannon, Cherry County emergency manager, said, “It’s estimated that approximately 700 acres were burned as of last night, and we expect that number has increased significantly since then.”
The Nebraska State Patrol is involved in surveying land to provide a damage estimate. At least 10 homes have been destroyed, and there have been no serious injuries reported.
Hospital patients in Valentine had been relocated to the hospital in Ainsworth yesterday evening, and a decision on whether they’ll be able to return is expected later today.
The Governor spent the morning touring a residential area northeast of the canyon and is visiting an area where a communication tower has been knocked out. The state is working with local officials to locate and install a temporary replacement for the tower in order to restore emergency communications capabilities.
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