McCook faced a wildfire that burned approximately 210 acres of land last Tuesday, Feb. 6.
    Around 12:40 p.m. MT/1:40 p.m. CT the McCook police started evacuating Norris Avenue and Q Street including the McCook Elementary because of heavy smoke and the quickly moving fire.
    Red Willow Western rural fire chief Bill Elliot explained that the fire started after a piece of metal sheeting rubbed through the insulation of an electrical wire.
    The sparks from the wire quickly became flames due to the 60-70 mile an hour wind and dry conditions.
    One man, believed to be a transient living in a shelter in the canyon, was burned and flown to a Lincoln hospital for treatment. Elliot was not aware of the extent of his injuries.
    One home, owned by John and Jennifer Kugler, was burnt down in the midst of the flames. The family, including their dogs, all got out of the house safely.
    “It went really really well. If you can find any good in something like this it is that the fire didn’t spread any farther than it did, and that we got it stopped when we did,” said Elliot.
    Elliot noted that about 20 different departments responded to the fire including Culbertson, McCook, Bartley, Beaver Valley, Palisade, Oxford-Edison, Indianola and many more.
    The Palisade Volunteer Fire Department responded with six firefighters, two tankers and one pumper truck.
    “I think they did the best they could with the amount of organized chaos that comes with a fire that big,” said PVFD fire chief Jason Hicks.
    Hicks went on to explain that the PVFD was on scene for approximately two and a half to three hours providing water support.
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