Western Nebraska wildfire prompts evacuations, burns homes

GERING, Neb. (AP) — A wildfire that has forced evacuations and destroyed some homes in the Nebraska Panhandle grew to about 25 square miles, but firefighters were managing to limit the spread of the fire. The blaze south of Gering, dubbed the Carter Canyon Fire, was reported Saturday evening and began as two separate fires in heavily treed areas of the Cedar Canyon Wildlife Management Area and Carter Canyon Public Land. Officials said tinder-dry conditions, rough terrain and 20 mph winds hampered efforts to control the fires, which merged over the weekend into one fire. Officials said the fire had grown to about 25 square miles and was burning in an area of grassland and large trees.