Nebraska wildfire levels three houses

OMAHA, Neb. – At least three houses were destroyed and at least three others damaged by one of the six wildfires burning in the Nebraska Panhandle.

About 700 firefighters were battling the blazes, which have scorched more than 62 1/2 square miles and continued to be fueled by triple-digit temperatures, low humidity and 20-mph winds.

Heineman visited the city of Chadron the day after 1,200 people evacuated their homes and firefighters successfully defended the Chadron State College campus. A subdivision on the south side of Chadron was briefly evacuated again Saturday.

Elsewhere, a fire northwest of Rapid City, S.D., burned seven houses, officials confirmed Saturday. The fire had consumed about 4.6 square miles and was 80 percent contained; residents of 300 homes who were told to evacuate were allowed to return.

A lightning-caused wildfire near the Oregon border was 85 percent contained Saturday. Strong winds that firefighters feared would blow the blaze into a series of major power lines never materialized.

The blaze was burning a half mile east of California-Oregon Transmission Project power lines and three-quarters of a mile south of lines used by the Western Area Power Administration and Pacific Gas & Electric Co.