Commentary: From floods to wildfires, Nebraska knows what extremes cost

When the Platte and Missouri rivers surged in March 2019, they didn’t just spill over their banks — they washed out bridges, drowned livestock and submerged one-third of Offutt Air Force Base. Floodwaters covered part of the runway and wrecked high-tech flight simulators, triggering an estimated $650 million military rebuild at the time and leaving an estimated $1.3 billion in preliminary statewide losses in its wake.

Then came the fires. After the state’s second-warmest and fourth-driest winter on record, wind-driven grass fires erupted across the Sandhills and central Nebraska in March 2026. The Morrill Fire burned more than 643,000 acres, the largest wildfire in state history, and the outbreak scorched over 800,000 acres in about a week. One person died, more than 35,000 cattle were displaced, and ranchers lost grazing land, hay and miles of fence that can cost up to $15,000 a mile to replace. The toll reaches household budgets, too. Nebraska homeowners already pay some of the nation’s highest insurance premiums, up about 20% since 2023 as hail, wind and rebuilding costs climb, and wildfire adds another risk to price.

Nebraskans have always weathered tough conditions, but research from the Nebraska State Climate Office indicates these risks are rising. Its projections show our region faces more damaging downpours alongside hotter dry spells that can sap soil moisture when crops need it most. These extremes aren’t distant worries for decades down the road — they carry immediate consequences for family farms, household budgets and local taxpayers.

Managing these swings requires a complete playbook: strong defense to protect what we have, and smart offense to keep things from getting worse. Resilience means proactively fortifying our infrastructure, water supplies and working lands so communities can withstand the next shock. But even the best defense eventually gets overwhelmed. Lasting security also demands going on offense — taking practical steps to cut the emissions driving these extremes before they outpace our ability to adapt.

The good news is that Nebraska doesn’t have to choose between protecting against weather extremes and strengthening its economy. Homegrown solutions are already proving that stewardship pays dividends.

On working farms, replacing diesel irrigation engines with electric motors can cut fuel and maintenance bills while clearing the air. Smarter soil stewardship can act like a natural sponge — holding vital moisture during flash droughts and absorbing downpours before they wash topsoil away. To help scale up these opportunities, Nebraska secured a $307 million federal grant — the largest in the state environment department’s history — to develop its ONE RED climate program (Opportunity for Nebraska: Reducing Emissions and Decarbonization), which includes planned rebates for electric irrigation engines, biochar and biogas as final federal approvals are completed.

In our energy sector, Nebraska holds a unique advantage as the nation’s only 100% public-power state. Because Nebraskans own their utilities, public power districts like OPPD can plan directly for our communities’ long-term interests — expanding wind, solar and battery storage to meet surging demand while working to keep the grid dependable through freezing winters and scorching summers.

None of this progress happens by accident. It requires leadership with the foresight to invest before the next crisis hits. In Nebraska, with federal, state and local candidates up for election — voters hold the steering wheel.

Before casting ballots this fall, we should ask every candidate:

• How will you strengthen our infrastructure, farms, and military installations against flooding, drought, and wildfires? 
• What concrete steps will you take to support agricultural solutions — like planned electric irrigation rebates and soil-health practices — that can cut costs for producers while reducing emissions?
• How will you guide public power to expand clean energy while preserving reliability and keeping electric rates affordable?

Nebraskans built the Good Life by meeting hard realities with grit, ingenuity and common sense. When our rivers rise or our fields run dry, we don’t look away. We can prepare for the weather risks at our doorstep — and elect leaders ready to protect Nebraska’s future.