Local4’s Four Things You Need to Know for April 24, 2026

HASTINGS, Neb. (KSNB) - Here are the four stories you need to know for April 24, 2026.

Pressey Fire

Fire crews are continuing to battle the Pressey Fire burning near Oconto in Custer County. At this time, the wildfire has burned over 8,000 acres and is at zero percent containment. According to the Custer County emergency manager, over 130 personnel are actively working on the fire.

Governor Jim Pillen has also verbally approved an emergency proclamation, with assistance including the Nebraska Army National Guard doing bucket drops to help crews on the ground. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Horizon lawsuit

Following OSHA citations against Horizon Biofuels for improperly maintaining the pellet facility in Fremont, the mother of one of the young girls killed in last July’s explosion has filed a lawsuit. The woman alleges the equipment was not properly maintained and led to a buildup of combustible dust and other code violations.

The other mother filed suit in February.

Husker softball

Husker softball announced they will be playing a doubleheader on Friday due to expected bad weather on Sunday. The first game will start at 3 p.m. and game two will start a half hour after the conclusion of game one. Saturday’s 1 p.m. game for Seniors’ Day is still set to take place.

Ticketholders for Sunday can exchange tickets for general admission to the Friday doubleheader before 1 p.m. today, with no walk-up exchanges accepted. If Friday becomes sold out, fans can exchange tickets for general admission to Nebraska versus Iowa on May 8, 9 or 10. If tickets are not exchanged by May 1, the refund process will begin and will take three to four weeks to be completed. Sunday’s T-shirt giveaway has been moved to Friday, with the first 500 fans to attend the game receiving a free T-shirt.

Your forecast

Temperatures on Friday won’t be as warm as previously in the week, with Friday actually having a chilly start. Some saw temperatures close to freezing Friday morning, but those won’t stay there long. Temperatures are expected to get close to 70, with some making it above that threshold. Wind should remain breezy throughout the day before we see it spike later on in the day. This signals a new weather pattern shifting in, with chances of showers and thunderstorms arriving.

As we look ahead to this coming weekend, we’ll see strong chances of rain throughout most of the weekend. Those thunderstorms come into play on Sunday, with the Storm Prediction Center placing Nebraska in the “Slight” chance category for severe storms Sunday. Storms could continue into Monday morning before more chances of rain next week.

Check out our full forecast here.

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