Governor Enacts Statewide Burn Ban

Governor Jim Pillen issued a statewide burn ban Wednesday afternoon, April, 23, 2025, due to serious drought conditions. The ban is scheduled to remain in effect until Wednesday, April 30.The announcement came as more than 50 fire departments from across the state were battling the Plum Creek fire in the Nebraska Sandhills. The fire began Monday, April 21, when a prescribed burn coordinated by Nebraska Game and Parks escaped containment. As of press time, the blaze is more than 70 percent contained. Estimated damage is more than 7,000 acres burned. Forty-five cattle have died and a cabin has been destroyed. Other structures have been threatened and were boxed in with heavy equipment to provide protection. The governor signed three documents on Wednesday: an executive order enacting the burn ban, a proclamation providing state assistance for efforts to combat the Plum Creek Fire and a proclamation providing state resources to be utilized in response to drought conditions.The assignment of state resources is in response to a request received Tuesday evening through the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to assist local volunteer firefighters who have been fighting the fire since last week. The Nebraska Army National Guard provided two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and a ground crew of 16 to assist with fire suppression. Governor Pillen held a press conference Wednesday, April 23, where he explained his reasons for the ban, “Fundamentally, I’m like most Nebraskans. I don’t like to be told by government what to do. I can tell you that making this decision, myself and our team, haven’t lived in a hole. We’ve talked to a lot of people, talked a lot of folks across the state today. And at the end of the conversation, each person said, ‘Please, please put a ban on.’”Despite recent rainfall, State climatologist Deborah Bathke notes the risk of wildfire remains high. “It can take more than one rainfall event, especially when areas have been dry here for so long.”“It’s way too dry in Nebraska right now, and it only takes one burn, one mistake and then you have a situation like we have in Plum Creek. The risks are too significant,” said Pillen. “We need Mother Nature to get on our side, and we need to to get drenched.”

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