Firefighters were called to the Lake Minatare area Friday afternoon after a grass fire started in the hills north of the reservoir.
Minatare-Melbeta Volunteer Fire Chief Brandi Ehler tells KNEB News they were paged to the scene shortly before 6 p.m. after an apparent lightning strike started the blaze.
Mutual aid was provided by firefighters and equipment from the Gering, Scottsbluff Rural, Mitchell, Bridgeport, and Alliance Fire Departments.
Ehler says terrain was very rough making it hard to get to some of the spots burning, and about 413 acres burned before firefighters cleared the scene half an hour after midnight.
Minatare Fire went back out at 7:30 a.m. Saturday morning to check on the fire, and Ehler said everything looked good as it was 100% contained.
