Sioux County fire: 85% contained

A picture of the fire northeast of Harrison, taken from South Dakota. (Courtesy Facebook/Kendra Marx).

HARRISON, Neb. (AP) _ Overnight rain helped firefighters control a wildfire that has burned all week in a rugged area of northwest Nebraska.

Harrison Volunteer Fire Department spokeswoman Sandy Murphy says the fire was about 85 percent contained Wednesday afternoon, and most of the fire departments that had been battling the blaze had returned home.

The fire has burned about 5,000 acres northeast of Harrison in Sioux County.

Murphy says the rain that fell Tuesday night helped cool off the fire.

Helicopters are being used Wednesday to drop water on any remaining hot spots.

She says the containment lines firefighters have built around the blaze appear to be holding.