College cancels classes due to fire - KOTA Territory News

College cancels classes due to fire

FRIDAY UPDATE

Wildfires in Northwest Nebraska continue to challenge firefighters.

The West Ash Fire near Chadron and the Douthit Fire near Crawford have burned more than 68, 689 acres with 10% containment. The fires are in rugged inaccessible terrain burning ponderosa pine and grass.

Chadron City leaders say they don't believe the fires are an immediate threat to the town, although classes across the school district, including Chadron State have been canceled.

Evacuations have been ordered along parts of U.S. Highway 385 south of Chadron.

ORIGINAL STORY

Chadron State College has canceled classes Thursday and Friday as a series of wildfires rage in northwest Nebraska.

The campus will remain open, but CSC officials say the cancellation of classes will allow students who were planning to return home for the Labor Day weekend to leave early.

"The campus is in no imminent danger, but when we're dealing with something as uncertain as wildfires we want to be extremely cautious," said Dale Grant, CSC vice president for administration and finance.

Grant said students living in the residence halls are not required to leave.

"This is not an evacuation," Grant said. "But, if students were planning to leave for the weekend, this will give them the opportunity to do so early."

U.S. Highway 385 south of Chadron has been closed, but remains open north. U.S. Highway 20 east and west of town also is open. Many residents south of Chadron were evacuated from their homes late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.

CSC officials encourage students and employees to follow media reports and make safety a top priority as crews battle the fires. They also encourage students to ensure that their contact information on the MyCSC portal is up-to-date so they can receive emergency notifications from the institution.