India, March 16 -- The Morrill Fire, which began Thursday northeast of Bridgeport in Morrill County, has expanded to 572,082 acres, according to the latest perimeter data from the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) and Watch Duty mapping.

The blaze is spreading rapidly across rangeland in Nebraska's Panhandle and Sandhills region, making it the largest wildfire in the state's history.

Click here to see the map.

Cause:

Early indications suggest the fire may have been sparked by a downed power line during high winds, though officials have not yet confirmed the exact cause.

Counties affected:

The fire has primarily impacted Morrill, Garden, Arthur, Keith and parts of Grant counties. It has spread north of Lake McConaughy and near ...