Wildfire forces evacuation of Nebraska village, nearby area

EDISON, Neb. (AP) — A wildfire in southern Nebraska fueled by dry conditions and strong winds forced the evacuation of the small village of Edison, and officials reported a volunteer responder died in a crash on the way to fight the blaze. The Nebraska State Patrol called for a mandatory evacuation Thursday night of the Furnas County community of about 130 people about 187 miles southwest of Lincoln. That order was later extended to rural residents around Edison and near the small town of Stamford. Critical fire weather conditions are forecast for Friday from the central Plains to the northwestern Gulf Coast, including parts of Texas and Louisiana, Much of Nebraska and Kansas could see wind gusts of up to 35 mph.