Nebraska producers are no strangers to dry weather, but the current conditions deserve extra caution. Many pastures went into winter short on moisture, carried dry standing forage through the dormant season, and entered spring with more cured fuel than we would like. Drought impacts have been widespread across the state, making timely pasture and forage decisions important as spring growth begins.¹ Recent climate updates have also pointed to record warmth, extremely dry conditions, and low snowpack contributing to drought concerns for the 2026 growing season.²
For livestock producers, the fire risk is a real concern. Pastures, road ditches, fence lines, hay feeding areas, and ungrazed corners can all hold enough fine fuel to carry a fire quickly once ignition occurs. The goal, as dry weather remains, is simple: reduce the chance of starting a fire while still getting necessary pasture work done.
Limit Unnecessary Driving in Pastures
One of the most practical steps is to simply reduce traffic across dry pasture. Every trip through a pasture creates some ignition risk when vegetation is dry. Producers should be careful when driving ATVs, pickups, tractors, and other vehicles in dead, tall standing grass because sparks or hot equipment can ignite dry vegetation.³
When pasture travel is necessary, use established lanes, two-tracks, short-grazed areas, bare ground, or the lowest-fuel route available. Avoid driving through tall, cured vegetation just to save time. If cattle need checked, consider whether some locations can be viewed from the road, from a hilltop, or by walking short distances instead of driving across the whole pasture.
ATV, UTV, or Pickup?
A common question is whether an ATV or UTV is safer than a pickup. In many situations, an ATV or UTV may reduce some risk because it is lighter, narrower, and disturbs less vegetation. However, it is not fire-proof. Exhaust systems, engines, brakes, electrical issues, and collected plant material can still create ignition risk.
A pickup can be especially risky in tall, dry grass because catalytic converters and exhaust systems may sit low enough to contact or closely heat vegetation. For all vehicles though, avoid parking or driving on tall, dry grass because any hot engine or exhaust can ignite vegetation.⁴
A reasonable rule of thumb is use the smallest practical vehicle, stay on the shortest or lowest-fuel route, and avoid tall, cured grass with any motorized equipment.
Clean Equipment Before and During Use
Dry plant material builds up fast. Skid plates, UTV undercarriages, mower decks, tractor frames, radiator screens, engine compartments, and areas around exhausts can all collect fine fuels. As the season progresses and cool-season grasses such as needle-and-thread head out, their seed can be particularly problematic, plugging radiator screens and lodging around hot surfaces.
Before heading into a pasture, take a few minutes to clean debris off equipment. Clean, well-maintained equipment is less likely to cause a fire.5
Park Like Fire Could Start Under You
Where equipment is parked matters. Avoid parking pickups, ATVs, UTVs, tractors, or hay equipment in dry vegetation. Good parking spots include gravel roads, field approaches, bare soil, recently grazed areas, or other low-fuel sites.
Be especially careful after climbing hills, pulling trailers, or working equipment hard, because exhaust and engine components may be hotter than normal.
Carry Fire Tools Every Time
If a small ignition starts, the first few seconds matter. Producers should not put themselves in danger, and a fast-moving grass fire can outrun equipment and people quickly. But having basic tools available may help stop a very small ignition before it becomes a pasture-scale fire.
A practical pasture fire kit might include a charged fire extinguisher (refillable water options work well here), shovel or stiff rake, water sprayer or water tank when practical, cell phone or radio, leather gloves, and a basic first aid kit.
For pasture work, carry tools that match the risk and the job.⁶ A pickup checking pairs on short grass may not need the same setup as a tractor mowing near cured road ditches, but every vehicle entering dry pasture should have some way to respond to a small ignition.
If a fire starts, call 911 early. When a fire is discovered, the fire department should be called at once.⁵ Do not wait until a small fire is out of control before calling.
Watch Red Flag Days and Wind
Some days are not worth the risk. Red Flag Warnings are issued when weather conditions support ignition and rapid wildfire spread.
On Red Flag days or during very windy, low-humidity conditions, postpone non-essential pasture driving, mowing, spraying, brush cutting, and other spark-producing work. If the job must be done, try to do it early in the day when humidity is higher and winds are lower, and check the area afterward.
Think Beyond the Vehicle
Vehicle and equipment use is a major concern, but it is not the only one. Some fires start before the vehicle ever gets into the pasture — along the road, near a gate, at a hay yard, or while doing maintenance work around dry vegetation.
Other fire prevention steps for producers include:
- Avoid mowing road ditches or pasture edges during hot, dry, windy afternoons.
- Do not weld, grind, or cut metal near dry grass without a cleared work area and water nearby.
- Secure trailer safety chains so they do not drag. Chains bouncing along pavement or gravel can throw sparks.
- Keep cigarette butts, matches, and other ignition sources out of pastures.
- Maintain short vegetation or bare-ground breaks around hay yards, fuel tanks, buildings, corrals, and other high-value areas.
- Keep stock tanks, wells, ponds, and other water points accessible where practical.
Planning Ahead
Not every fire prevention practice has to happen the day the wind starts blowing. Some of the best risk reduction comes from planning ahead, especially around the places where equipment, hay, livestock, and people come together.
Around hay yards, fuel tanks, corrals, buildings, and other high-value areas, maintain short vegetation or bare-ground breaks where practical. Keep access routes open for local fire departments. Know where water sources are located and whether a fire truck can actually reach them. Where weather and water availability allow, keeping stock tanks full may provide another water source if a fire occurs. This is also a good time to look at fuel buildup around farmstead areas, old hay, junk piles, and unused equipment.
For pastures with heavy eastern redcedar or woody fuel buildup, long-term fuel management may also need to be part of the conversation. That may include grazing management, mechanical removal, prescribed fire planning, or working with local partners on a broader wildfire preparedness plan. That is bigger than a quick spring checklist, but dry years are a good reminder to identify where those risks exist.
Closing Thoughts
With dry weather, fire prevention needs to be part of everyday pasture management. Checking pairs, fixing fence, hauling mineral, spraying weeds, and moving equipment all still have to happen. The key is to slow down enough to ask: Do I need to drive there? What am I driving through? Where will I park? What is the weather doing? And what do I have with me if a spark starts?
A few minutes spent cleaning equipment, choosing a safer route, postponing work on a Red Flag day, and carrying a fire extinguisher and shovel may prevent a small ignition from becoming a major loss of grass, fence, livestock, equipment, and neighbor goodwill.
Sources
- Ryan Benjamin and T.L. Meyer. 2026 Drought Planning Trigger Dates. Nebraska Extension, UNL Beef, 1. March 19, 2026.
- Nebraska Extension / CropWatch. Drought Outlook Raises Concerns for 2026 Growing Season. March 24, 2026.
- Randy Saner, Rob Eirich, and Ryan Benjamin. Protecting Farms & Ranches from Wildfires. Nebraska Extension BeefWatch, Oct. 1, 2023.
- USDA Forest Service. Travel and Vehicle Safety in the Grasslands.
- Nebraska Forest Service. Fire Prevention on Your Farm and Ranch.
- Nebraska Forest Service. Rural Homes and Wildfire.
