(6:45 P.M) - Fire fighters from at least 11 communities battled a wildfire Wednesday afternoon in Hooker County, about 50 miles north of North Platte.

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A controlled burn along the Dismal River in Hooker County got out of hand Wednesday afternoon, and fire crews from more than 10 jurisdictions arrived to battle it.

Sheila Neil and Janell Blake of Tryon each said the fire started near Dismal River.

Neil said it was a deliberately set, controlled fire to control cedar trees and it got out of control, most likely due to unexpected winds.

She said the fire started on a section of land 15 miles south and five miles west of Mullen. Neil said Stapleton’s fire crew was also conducting a controlled fire in Logan County, and immediately extinguished it go help.

“They (fire fighters) are still fighting it,” a dispatcher for the Ogallala Fire Department said at 5:30 p.m., with fire crews from Ogallala, Hyannis, Callaway, Hershey, Maxwell, Brady, Niobrara, Valentine, Arthur, Stapleton and Arnold on the scene.

North Platte also responded to the fire, a volunteer told the Bulletin.

At 5:45 p.m., the McPherson County fire house dispatcher Kerrie Kramer said the fire was contained but still burning.

“As of right now, they have it under control,” Kramer said. “They’re maintaining and trying to put it out.”

McPherson County Fire Chief Ed Black could not be contacted. He was busy fighting the blaze.