Pilots assist in fighting Cottonwood Fire
Federal, state and local crews continue to battle the Cottonwood Fire that has burned thousands of acres in south Central Nebraska.
BRADY, Neb. — Federal, state and local crews continue to battle the Cottonwood Fire that has burned thousands of acres in south central Nebraska.
Volunteer firefighters and specialists from all parts of the state have responded to assist in attempting to contain the blaze. Brian Wilcox of Tilden is a pilot contracted by the Nebraska Forest Service. He flew to Lincoln County and provided aerial support on Friday and Saturday.
Wilcox says he and three other pilots dropped countless loads of water and foam on the wildfire. He’s a veteran of fighting wildfires, but says the Cottonwood Fire is the worst he’s ever seen.
“This fire was as aggressive as I’ve ever experienced,” Wilcox said. “I was worried for people on the ground at times.”
Wilcox says he and the other pilots were focused on protecting structures and livestock. He pointed to the density of growth of Western Red Cedars as providing fuel for the flames.
The Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 1 assumed management of the Morrill and Cottonwood Fires on Saturday night.
The Cottonwood Fire has not claimed any human lives. The exact extent of the damage is unclear but the incident management team is expected to release maps, size estimates and other statistics. The fire is still burning.