Wildfires in western and central Nebraska have already burned roughly 450,000 acres — likely one of the largest fires in the state’s modern history.

Governor Jim Pillen has reached out to neighboring states, including Iowa, to request additional resources — including water supplies, fire engines, and trained firefighting crews — as winds threaten to worsen conditions.

Dozens of Nebraska volunteer fire departments are already on the ground. But as the fires stretch into multiple counties, reinforcements could make the difference.

We are calling on the governors and emergency management agencies of Iowa, South Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, and Kansas to immediately deploy:

• Additional water tankers and water transport trucks
• Wildland fire engines and brush trucks
• Trained wildfire suppression crews
• Aerial firefighting support, where available
• Mutual aid personnel through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC).

Wildfires do not respect state lines. Neighboring states have the ability to step up now and strengthen Nebraska’s response before conditions worsen.

This is what regional cooperation looks like.

Send the water.
Send the crews.
Send the engines.

Stand with Nebraska.