<body><div>Firefighters made good progress on the ground Monday at the Cottonwood Fire, coordinating with Nebraska and Iowa National Guard Black Hawk helicopters that made bucket drops around Jeffrey Lake.Thick stands of red cedar are holding heat around the lake, and other parts of the northern edge of the burned area, making it difficult to extinguish hot spots. Jeffery Lake remains under an evacuation order.Still, the fire was declared 40% contained on Tuesday morning.On Tuesday, firefighters are working on the active fires on the north side, while patrolling, mopping up, and strengthening fire lines throughout the perimeter, the incident command said. <figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3MvekB_19hkao6j00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3MvekB_19hkao6j00" width="700" height="432" ><figcaption>Smoke rises over the hills south of Brady. Photo by George Lauby</figcaption></figure>Strong winds were forecast Tuesday afternoon and evening, and materialized around 4 p.m. An initial attack group is poised to quickly respond to any new starts. Night crews continue patrolling the fires, the incident command said. The burned area now covers 131,259 acres, according to the Rocky Mountain Incident Command. That area is larger than the city of Omaha. The cause of the Cottonwood Fire has not been released. There has not been an official tally of burned structures, vehicles or livestock.If ashes are lifted by the wind Tuesday afternoon, do not mistake it for smoke. It is not active fire, the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency said.“We ask the public to help keep emergency 911 lines open for immediate threats,” NEMA said. “Expect to see smoke today as winds increase. Interior flare-ups can occur deep within the fire’s footprint, even in areas that have already burned.”“If you see a distinct column of smoke or flames, please report it. Otherwise, conditions like this can be expected with today’s winds and ongoing fire activity,” NEMA said. © 2026 The North Platte Bulletin. All rights reserved!</div></body>

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Firefighters made good progress on the ground Monday at the Cottonwood Fire, coordinating with Nebraska and Iowa National Guard Black Hawk helicopters that made bucket drops around Jeffrey Lake. Thick stands of red cedar are holding heat around the lake, and other parts of the northern edge of the burned...

Tuesday: Cottonwood fire 40% contained

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Firefighters made good progress on the ground Monday at the Cottonwood Fire, coordinating with Nebraska and Iowa National Guard Black Hawk helicopters that

Tuesday: Cottonwood fire 40% contained

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