Update as of Monday, May 8 at 10:00 AM
The Natick Fire has been calculated at 1,849 acres and is now 100% contained.
All resources have been demobilized. Only local fire personnel remain.
(HALSEY, Neb.) May 8, 2023 – All resources were demobilized 8:00 am this morning, leaving only the local fire personnel.
The plan of action for today is to patrol the control lines, monitor the burned area, and continue the mop-up process.
A new map was created, and the fire was calculated at 1,849 acres. As of 7:00 pm yesterday, the Natick fire was noted as 100% contained.
Smoke may still be visible from Highway 2, please use caution when traveling.
The fire’s cause has still not been determined, but there is an investigator onsite.
The Bessey Ranger District has temporarily closed Forest Road (FR) 212 starting from the HWY 86B Spur to the “Four Corners” where FR 212 meets FR 203 (see attached map).
Update as of Saturday, May 6 at 1:30 PM
(HALSEY, Neb.) May 6, 2023 – The Nebraska National Forest in Halsey received 0.9” of rain as of this morning. The rain was able to aid fire personnel throughout the night and several resources were demobilized at 8:00 am this morning, leaving personnel count to 30.
The plan of action for today
is to continue reinforcing the established control lines and to focus on any spots
that continued to stay hot even after the late-night rain.
Fire personnel were successful
in mapping the burned area yesterday. The current number of acres is 1,849. The
fire remains at 80% contained.
Smoke may still be visible
from Highway 2, please use caution when traveling.
The fire’s cause has still not been determined, but there is an
investigator onsite.
The Bessey Ranger District has temporarily closed Forest Road (FR) 212 starting from the HWY 86B Spur to the “Four Corners” where FR 212 meets FR 203 (see attached map).
Update as of Friday, May 5 at 9:30 AM
The Natick Fire is currently estimated at approximately 2,500 acres and 80% contained.
An estimated 70 personnel are working to contain the wildfire.
(HALSEY, Neb.) May 5, 2023 – Fire personnel were successful last night in containing the two slop-overs that occurred yesterday afternoon. Although a lightning storm did develop in the late hours yesterday, the storm brought rain that allowed fire personnel to further secure fire lines within the burned area.
The current plan of action for today is reinforcing the established control lines and to prevent any further slop-over.
As of 8:00 am this morning, some engines were demobilized, leaving the personnel count back to 70.
With the two slop-overs yesterday, the number of acres within the burned area has increased, however, personnel are working on mapping the area today so an accurate number will not be known until this afternoon.
As of 8:00 am the Natick fire is 80% contained.
Smoke may still be visible from Highway 2, please use caution when traveling.
The fire’s cause has still not been determined, but there is an
investigator onsite.
The Bessey Ranger District
has temporarily closed Forest Road (FR) 212 starting from the HWY 86B Spur to
the “Four Corners” where FR 212 meets FR 203 (see attached map).
Update as of Thursday, May 4 at 3:30 PM
The Natick fire is currently estimated at 2,231 acres and is 50% contained.
Estimated 80 personnel are working to contain the wildfire.
(HALSEY, Neb.) May 4, 2023 – There have been new developments on the Natick fire. As of 10:30 am, the burned area was estimated at 2,231 acres and as being 50 percent contained. With the warm conditions this afternoon, two slops occurred at the north end of the fire. The spot to the west, in grass, has been contained and is now being monitored by fire personnel. Where the fire moved beyond its line to the east, firefighters are allowing it to back into more favorable fuels where it can be easily contained. Dozer line is being punched in as a secondary control measure. Because the fire is moving through an area that has a high volume of cedar and pine trees, the public can expect to see dark smoke. Travelers on Highway 2 might see this part of the fire moving east towards the 2022 Bovee Fire’s burn scar.
The fire’s cause has still not been determined, but there is an
investigator onsite.
The Bessey Ranger District has temporarily closed Forest Road (FR) 212 starting from the HWY 86B Spur to the “Four Corners” where FR 212 meets FR 203.
Update as of Thursday, May 4 at 9:00 AM
The Natick fire is currently estimated at 1,800 acres and 50% contained.
Estimated 70 personnel are working
to contain the wildfire.
As of 8:00 am
this morning, there are 70 fire personnel from around 10 different fire
engines, including those from Chadron, South Dakota, and the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service.
As of 8:00 am
this morning, the burned area is estimated at 1,800 acres and is 50% contained.
The cause has
still not been determined, but there is an investigator onsite.
The Bessey
Ranger District has temporarily closed off the Forest Road (FR) 212 starting
from HWY 86B Spur to the “Four Corners” where FR 212 meets FR 203 (see attached
map).
For the most up-to-date information, please visit http://gpfireinfo.blogspot.com/ . The Bessey Ranger District office will be open as normal and can be contacted at (308) 533-2257.
Update as of Wednesday, May 3 at 8:45 PM
Wildfire on the Bessey Ranger District of the Nebraska National Forest in Halsey, Neb.
The Natick fire is currently estimated at 2,000 acres and has reached the south side (but not crossed) of HWY 2. Over 80 personnel are working to contain the wildfire.
(HALSEY, Neb.) May 3, 2023 – A wildfire, known as the Natick Fire, on the Bessey Ranger District of the Nebraska National Forest in Halsey, Neb. was reported to the Region 26 Emergency Management & 911 Dispatch office at 3:15 pm (CST) on Wednesday, May 3rd, 2023.
Although the point of origin is unknown at this time, the wildfire began near Natick campground on the Nebraska National Forest in Halsey, Neb. The burn area is currently estimated at 2,000 acres and appears to be burning in the western edge of the hand-planted forest (ponderosa pine, eastern red cedar, and jack pine) and grasslands east and north of the forest.
Resources ordered include the Black Hills fire module, 10 type 6 engines, and 7 local Volunteer Fire Departments. The cause has not been determined and an investigator is enroute. There are no known injuries at this time.
For the most up-to-date information, please visit http://gpfireinfo.blogspot.com/ . The Bessey Ranger District office will be open as normal and can be contacted at (308) 533-2257
Natick Fire
Reported: 2:20 pm, May 3, 2023
Location: Thomas County, 7.5 miles WSW of Halsey, NE
Size: 800 acres
Resources: Federal, State, and Local
