Chadron Fire Chief Branden Martens says a fire Monday evening significantly damaged a house two blocks north of Chadron State College.
Cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
No one was home when the fire was called in after heavy black smoke was seen pouring out and there were no injuries.
Chief Martens says the house suffered relatively little structural damage, but that there was a great deal of damage inside from both smoke and fire – especially in the living room and an adjacent bedroom.
While crews were still battling the house fire, a call came in of a wildfire south of Hwy 20 about 2 miles east of Chadron near South Slim Buttes Road.
As the house fire was contained, some of those units were released to battle the wildfire – which burned about 2 acres and was caused by lightning. Crews remained on the scene overnight.
Martens says there was a lot of lightning around the area during the 4:00 and 5:00 pm hours, so spotter flights looking for smoke or fire are planned this morning and afternoon.
Harrison fire crews responded to at least one wildfire Monday, but details aren’t available.