Nebraska 4-H Camp burns in Bovee Fire

HALSEY, Neb. (KNOP) -The Nebraska 4-H Camp located in the Nebraska National Forest burned down in the Bovee Fire over the week.

16 of the 17 buildings on the camp’s premises were near total losses while the staff building remained relatively untouched with only smoke damage occurring. Eppley Hall, the main dining hall and gathering place on the camp was one of the buildings lost due to the fire.

For campers and 4-H staff and even the people of Halsey, the loss of the camp is more than just a loss of buildings, it’s a loss of memories.

“For us it’s 60 years of 4-H camp,” said Stuart Shepherd, Executive Director of the Nebraska 4-H Foundation, “it’s 60 years of partnering with these communities out here, this has been home, the gathering place for proms, for all kinds of family reunions and receptions for the community. So it not only hurts us, in 4-H and at the University of Nebraska, but it also hurts this community, this has been a treasured gathering place for many, many years.”

The Bovee Fire has burned nearly 19,000 acres since it started, and is 94% contained as of Thursday morning.

What is next for the camp is not known entirely, Shepherd told News 2 that their insurance company would be coming out to take a look at the damages, but Shepherd was hopeful about the future of the camp.

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