Fires in Nebraska, Iowa spur evacuations, destroy homes

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Prairie fires pushed by winds topping 60 mph led to evacuations in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa and destroyed homes and injured two firefighters south of Nebraska’s capital city. The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office in southeastern Nebraska says at least two grassland fires south of Lincoln threatened hundreds of residents. The nearly 300 residents of Hallam, about 20 miles south of Lincoln, were ordered to evacuate, along with rural residents of southern Lancaster County and northern Gage County. Officials say three homes and several outbuildings were destroyed, and two firefighters were injured before the southeastern Nebraska fires were contained. Fires near Wisner in northeastern Nebraska and Harrison and Montgomery counties in western Iowa also forced brief evacuations.