00:02The largest wildfire in Nebraska history is burning out of control this morning.
00:07Combined with three other major fires, more than half a million acres across central and western Nebraska are on fire.
00:15Powerful planes winds are fueling the flames.
00:18Governor Jim Pillen says an elderly woman died trying to escape the fire in Morrill County in the state's western
00:24panhandle.
00:25Look at all that smoke.
00:26The Nebraska National Guard has deployed Blackhawk helicopters, scooping water from a nearby lake and dropping it on the flames
00:33from above.
00:34The largest fire alone has burned more than 450,000 acres.
00:39Investigators believe strong winds knock down power lines, sparking an electrical fire that quickly spread.
00:45The governor has declared a state of emergency, freeing up additional resources as crews from Omaha, Lincoln and other cities
00:52head west to help.
00:54As of Sunday, the fires were zero percent contained.
00:57Forecasters say wind gusts near 60 miles an hour combined with extremely dry conditions are helping the flames spread rapidly
01:05across the region.
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