Chadron area fire burns 11 acres, now controlled

CHADRON, Neb. - A wildfire around 12 miles south of Chadron is now controlled, according to Fire Chief Branden Martens. The fire, which Martens said was sparked by lightning on Wednesday night, burned 11 acres.

“However, we’re not out of the woods yet. With all of the recent fires, a spotter plane is going to fly over the area periodically,” Martens said.

Because the fire started on Sept. 11, authorities named it the 343 Fire after the 343 firefighters who died during the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Several departments worked together to get the 343 Fire contained, including the U.S. Forest Service and Nebraska Game and Parks, along with firefighters from Harrison, Crawford, Chadron, Hemmingford and Hay Springs.