OutdoorNebraska

2022 Annual Report • Nebraska Game and Parks Commission 9 G a m e a n d P a r k s f i g h t s f i r e s t o s a v e l i v e s , h o m e s a n d h a b i t a t s Moderate- to severe-drought conditions across the state made Nebraska susceptible to wildfires in 2022. Over the course of the year, Nebraska Game and Parks staff assisted with the containment and extinguishing of wildfires as they popped up both in the west and the east. Game and Parks did its part to try and prevent wildfires. In addition to continued cedar tree reduction, fuel reduction and timber thinning efforts statewide, fire bans were put into place at many Nebraska state recreation areas and some wildlife management areas beginning in April. When windy conditions persisted, additional bans were put in place. In March, a wildfire burned nearly 1,000 acres of private land north and east of Wellfleet in Lincoln County. Helicopters filled water tanks from Lake Maloney. The next month, a fire started northeast of Arapahoe and stretched for 22 miles, burning approximately 35,000 acres. A few days later, volunteer firefighters and a neighbor with a farm disk assisted Game and Parks staff with lighting a backfire on Little Blue WMA in Thayer County to contain the fire at less than 200 acres. In late July and early August, the Carter Canyon Fire burned across almost the entire 2,200 acres of Cedar Canyon Wildlife Management Area southwest of Gering, while a sizable portion of the 10,533-acre Carter Canyon Platte River Basin Environments property also was blackened. In total, that fire swept across 15,630 acres. The Chat Canyon Fire in Cherry County started Aug. 4 and burned approximately 875 acres with nearly 170 acres of Chat Canyon WMA burned. The fire was also on private lands and parts of McKelvie National Forest. In September, a wildfire burned about 400 acres of Williams Gap WMA in the Wildcat Hills southeast of Gering. Wildfires ripped through Olive Creek State Recreation Area and Olive Creek Wildlife Management Area in southwestern Lancaster County on Oct. 23. The Commission is grateful to all volunteers, agencies, landowners and everyone who worked together to combat these wildfires. Wildfire at Buffalo Creek WMA, Wildcat Hills

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