Fire in Nebraska National Forest near Halsey now 94% contained

A human-caused wildfire that scored more than 18,000 acres in and near the Nebraska National Forest was declared 94% contained Thursday morning.

An update on the so-called Bovee Fire by the Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 1 said that night crews had been dismissed and were being deployed elsewhere after battling the fire, which started Sunday afternoon southwest of Halsey.

Remaining areas of fire concern will be prioritized Thursday to “strengthen fire lines and cool any remaining hotspots,” said spokesman Dan Dallas.

Volunteer died

A volunteer firefighter from Purdum died of a medical condition on Sunday while fighting the fire, which destroyed the popular Nebraska State 4-H Camp in the forest that had hosted thousands of children and adults since the 1960s.

The Scott Lookout Tower, which had been renovated in 2011, was also lost in the blaze.

The cause of the blaze is still under investigation, though some officials have said it was started by a four-wheel-drive utility vehicle, which are popular in the hand-planted forest.

An informational meeting at the Halsey Community Center is planned at 3 p.m. Thursday to update local residents on the blaze.

Nebraska Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nebraska Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Cate Folsom for questions: info@nebraskaexaminer.com. Follow Nebraska Examiner on Facebook and Twitter.