At about 6am Thursday morning the Valentine Volunteer Fire department was paged to a report of a fire south of Valentine on Highway 83 near mile marker 197. The fire was near the Rahm Ranch, and likely started by lightning. According to Fire Chief Terry Engels, the fire burned a small patch of grass and kept firemen on scene for about a half hour.
Just as crews were returning to the fire hall, a second alarm sounded, prompting firemen to respond to another fire. Shortly after 7am the fire department was called the Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge area for a report of a fire on the west side of the highway opposite the entrance to the refuge. This fire was caused by another lightning strike hitting a tree and spreading to a small grassy area which kept firemen on scene for about an hour.
Engels stated that the Civil Air Patrol has been requested to do a fly-over around the river corridor this (Thursday) afternoon to look for any other smoke or hot spots that may have been started by the thundershower that moved through the area Thursday morning.