HALSEY – The Halsey National Forest is once again feeling the heat of Nebraska’s drier months.
At 3:15 p.m. on Wednesday, May 3, another fire broke out. Named the Natick Fire for its proximity to the forest’s Natick Campground, it has, as of Thursday afternoon, consumed roughly 2200 acres of mostly public land. About half of the damage has been grassland, with the other 50% dealt to wooded areas.
Public Information Officer Technician Amanda Medaries says that departments from Nebraska and beyond are still streaming in to combat the blaze.
“There is about 70 personnel here total although we do have more engines coming, so we’ll probably end up with about 85 from all over: Chadron, South Dakota, Black Hills. Everybody’s coming down.”
The Natick Fire is currently 50% contained thanks to the tireless efforts of volunteers on Wednesday evening; Medaries says that without the quick response of some 7 area volunteer departments, the forest could have been looking at another Bovee situation by Thursday afternoon.
“It was nothing but volunteers yesterday, and maybe 2 engines. We were very thankful for our VFDs yesterday. Our fire guys were out in South Dakota doing their prescribed burns, so it was a few hours before they could get here.”
The good news is that as of Thursday afternoon, all volunteer departments had been sent home, no injuries or structure damage has been reported, and nobody has been evacuated. The Bessey Ranger District and Halsey National Forest have decided as yet to only close one road: Road 212, which leads directly to the affected area.
The Natick Fire has moved north and west, reaching the highway, but unlike the Bovee, it has yet to jump it. A fire investigator is on the scene as of Thursday afternoon to help discern a cause, which is as yet unknown. The Bessey Ranger District and Halsey National Forest have no plans to close the forest or campground for the summer season, as the forest has remained open since November.
