Thursday April 23 2026 - Scanner News

The big news this morning are the wildfires that are raging across Nebraska again this morning. Last night, the town of Whitman, Nebraska was evacuated due to the wildfires. We have made several posts on our Penhandle Scanner Facebook page covering the fire, including maps and acreages burned with information provided by the WatchDuty app. According to the WatchDuty app, there are currently 10 fires actively burning in Nebraska, the largest one being the Andrews Fire near Valentine, consuming 2,500 acres thus far.  There are currently three fires burning in Cherry County, as well as fires in Grant County, Hooker County, McPherson County, Arthur County and Custer County. Overnight in Grant County, the town of Whitman was evacuated, with a shelter point being listed as the county courthouse in Hyannis. Highway 2 was originally closed but was reopened per radio traffic because there was no immediate fire concern regarding the highway. For all the fire coverage, see our Panhandle Scanner website or Facebook page with frequent updates from the WatchDuty app. Our prayers for everyone involved, especially our first responders and those in the way of danger.   Again, for updates, visit panhandlescanner.com.   And don't forget about our public record every Monday through Friday when available.