A reward is being offered for information that leads to those responsible for the Johnson Hills Fire in March, that burned roughly 700 acres of Phelps and Gosper County pastureland.
No injuries, fatalities, livestock losses, or structural damage have been reported.
More than two dozen fire and rescue agencies, along with local farmers, assisted in the response.
The fires still believed to have been intentionally set and remain under investigation as acts of arson.
At a press conference Thursday morning at the Bertrand Fire Hall, officials announced more than $10,000 has been raised for a reward leading to the arrest of the person or people involved.
Phelps County Attorney Corey O’Brien said there is not enough known information to make an arrest. He said local law enforcement has been given a lot of “rumors and innuendos,” but they are needing more facts.
“We would plead with the public’s help in any manner to bring the person or persons to justice and to prevent such a tragic event of occurring in the future,” O’Brien said.
The public is also asked to check doorbell and trail cameras in the area for any clues, no matter how small. The time frame to look is from 10 pm March 27, to 2 am March 28.
O’Brien was joined by Gosper County Attorney Beverly Bogle Louthan, members of the Phelps and Gosper County Sheriff’s Departments, Phelps County Crimestoppers, the State Fire Marshall, and Phelps County and Gosper County volunteer fire departments.
If anyone would like to contribute to the reward fund, an account has been set up at First State Bank of Holdrege under the name of Phelps County Crimestoppers.
