Saturday morning fire update: The evacuation order has been lifted for the fire that started at the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge on Friday, according to Cherry County Emergency Management Director Jessica Coyle. As of 4:30 Saturday morning, only federal officials, Thedford and Valentine remained on scene.

VALENTINE, Neb. - Authorities are investigating the cause of a grass fire that broke out at the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge on Friday, March 28, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The fire, reported shortly after noon near Dads Lake south of Valentine, drew a large emergency response.

As News Channel Nebraska reported on its Twister Facebook page, multiple fire departments responded, including crews from Valentine, Cody, Kilgore, Ainsworth, Wood Lake, Thedford, Mission, Purdum, and Brownlee. The Cherry County Sheriff’s Office also asked people west of Brownlee between the refuge and Brownlee Road to prepare to evacuate. Deputies, emergency management teams, and the Nebraska State Patrol went door-to-door, alerting residents of the potential danger.

By Saturday morning, some evacuees had returned home, according to Facebook posts from affected residents. However, fire officials have yet to determine the fire's size or containment status. Thick smoke was visible for miles, and strong north winds—with gusts up to 31 mph—pushed the fire south and east throughout the afternoon and evening, according to FWS.

This is a developing story. Stay tuned for updates.