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Mower-Sparked Wildfire Burns Omaha-Sized Hole In NE Prairie

Firefighters battle a wildfire earlier this month in Cabazon, Calif.
Jae C. Hong
/
AP
Firefighters battle a wildfire earlier this month in Cabazon, Calif.

State officials say a mower sparked a wildfire that has burned about 110 square miles of prairieland in central Nebraska. That's about the size of the state's largest city of Omaha. The fire was first reported Monday morning less than 10 miles northeast of North Platte. The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency says the fire has destroyed one home, damaged another and burned down about five storage and agriculture buildings. No injuries have been reported. Lincoln County Emergency Management Director Brandon Myers says the fire is now about half contained. Officials hope to have it extinguished by Thursday.