NAPONEE, NE – On Sunday, October 23, 2022 at approximately 4:52pm Franklin County Sheriff’s Office received a call from the National Weather Service who reported an indication of a “Hot Spot” at 22 ½ Rd & G Rd, north of Naponee.
Calls of a stalk field fire at the same location were also being reported to the sheriff’s office. Naponee Fire Department was dispatched and requested a page for Quad City Mutual Aid and for additional departments to be paged to assist.
More than 25 fire departments, EMS & Law Enforcement responded to the scene. Franklin Fire Chief Dan Dorn said strong and shifting winds, dry conditions as well as the rough terrain were making the fire difficult to contain.
Chief Dorn also said that numerous farmers with tractors and discs helped in fighting the fire. They also supplied water trucks and trailers.
The fire spread northeast consuming approximately 6,700 acres.
“Then the wind shifted out of the northwest and it (the fire) came back and went to the southwest,” said Chief Dorn.
According to the Franklin County Sheriff’s press release there were no residences destroyed and no significant injuries have been reported, but the fire did destroy at least two structures.
At this time there is no definitive percentage of containment but, there are various crews remaining on scene to monitor the for hot spots and rekindling.
