State Fire Investigator deems house fire accidental

    An investigator with the State Fire Marshal’s Office has determined an afternoon fire April 5 northwest of Imperial was accidental.
    However, the cause is undetermined as of yet, according to Imperial Fire Chief Doug Mitchell’s report from Investigator Ryan  Sylvester.
    Imperial and Lamar firefighters were called just minutes before noon last Wednesday, about 18.5 miles northwest of Imperial on Avenue 318 (Brandon Road) between 744 and 745 Roads.
    The house was fully engulfed when the Imperial Volunteer Fire Department arrived, Mitchell said.
    It became an effort for the two fire departments to keep the fire from spreading, but there was no saving the house, he said.
    “There are two walls still standing but it’s gone,” he said.
    A camper parked about 30 feet northeast of the home was not damaged, the same with other out buildings.
    But it may have been different had the wind out of the northwest been coming from a different direction that day, Mitchell said.
    Winds were estimated at 30-40 mph that afternoon.
    “If it had been coming out of the south, the camper would likely be gone, too,” Mitchell said.
    The home and property it sits on is owned by John Nestlebush of Sterling, Colorado. Lynita Sample was living in the home, according to Sheriff Kevin Mueller and was on site during the firefighting and was uninjured. Mitchell didn’t know if she was home when the fire started.
    Mueller, who was on scene with two deputies, said Sample was transported to Chase County Community Hospital by Imperial EMS.
    The IVFD brought seven units and 16 firefighters to fight the blaze, while Lamar had four trucks and nine firefighters there. They were on scene about four hours, Mitchell said.
    Also on site were two Imperial EMS ambulances, Emergency Manager Duane Dreiling and Game & Parks Officer Sophia Gobber.
Tires catch fire Saturday
    Another fire the same time of day Saturday drew Imperial and Lamar firefighters when a pile of tires was burning a quarter mile north of Highway 6, about 11 miles west of Imperial.
    Jose Alfonzo was burning trash in a pit, about five feet from about 50 stacked tires. The fire spread into the tires, Mitchell said.
    The fire became very hot, he noted, with rims still on some of the tires. Concern for Highline Electric wires above prompted Mitchell to contact the company, and personnel responded, he said.
    No damage resulted to the wires, he said.
    “If the wind had been out of the north, it would have burned into trees nearby,” he said, where more tires were also stacked.
    The sheriff’s office issued Alfonzo a citation for violating the open burning ban.
Mutual aid sought
in eastern Nebraska
    The IVFD was contacted Sunday night after a request was made for Southwest Mutual Aid Strike Team assistance for a large grass/brush  fire in Cass County, near Lake Waconda and the community of Union.
    Mitchell said due to dry conditions and the Fire Weather Watch issued for this area, no one from the IVFD responded.
    On Monday, 700 acres had burned south of the lake and was 85% contained later that day, according to an Omaha World-Herald story.
    The fire reportedly started in Iowa, jumped the Missouri River and spread into Nebraska.

Don’t expect burn permits right now from fire chief

    Imperial Fire Chief Doug Mitchell said don’t bother to call him or his officers about burn permits right now.
    That’s because the Imperial Volunteer Fire Department is not issuing any.
    The Chase County area had been in a Fire Weather Watch area early this week, but by mid-afternoon Monday it was upgraded to a Red Flag Warning through Wednesday night.
    Low humidity coupled with the dry conditions, even with all the moisture and snow that’s fallen, prompted the National Weather Service to issue the Red Flag Warning.
    The NWS issues a Red Flag Warning, in conjunction with land management agencies, to alert the public to an ongoing or expected critical fire weather pattern.
    NWS  personnel and Chief Mitchell are urging extreme care with open flames.
    Adding to the concern, the Imperial area was forecast to get up to 30 mph winds through Tuesday night with humidity levels in the teens.
    Temperatures were forecast in the mid to high 80s Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
    Nebraskans are reminded there is a burning ban in effect at all times.     
    State Statute 81-520.01 reads, “There shall be a statewide open burning ban on all bonfires, outdoor rubbish fires and fires for the purpose of clearing land.”
    Before any open burning can be done, a permit must be obtained from the local fire chief or his/her designee on a form prescribed by the State Fire Marshal.