Grassfire Along I-80 Nearly Swallows Patrol Car [WATCH]

The snow is melting and what's underneath is the dry vegetation of last year. That dry grass is just waiting to explode if provoked and this is one of the times of the year you're most likely to see huge grassfires, as a result.

Earlier today on eastbound Interstate 80 in Nebraska, a huge and fast-moving grassfire broke out. The fire, which was along the interstate near Gothenburg, between North Platte and Kearney, resulted in the closure of the eastbound lanes of the interstate. The interstate was closed for about an hour as crews from fire departments in Lexington, Cozad, and Gothenburg, Nebraska all battled the blaze.

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Dashcam video from a Nebraska State Patrol officer's car captured the fire annihilating the landscape in a hurry, as it headed toward the officer's vehicle. The officer, who was directing traffic to the left side of the interstate at the time, gets out of the way, but barely. You can almost feel the heat from the blaze in the video below. According to the National Weather Service, wind gusts in that area today were around 25 mph.

The video came with a reminder from the Nebraska State Patrol to "Please be aware of fire danger this time of year. It doesn't take much to start a grassfire."

Earlier this week in Cedar Rapids, the burn ban that had been in effect since a week after the August 10 derecho, was lifted. Please be careful, and smart, out there.