Watch for smoke Saturday near Enders Lake

    A prescribed fire exercise is scheduled this Saturday at Enders Reservoir State Recreation Area.
    Portions of the SRA will be closed temporarily to public access during the exercise.
    The Imperial Volunteer Fire Department is conducting the training, along with other area volunteer fire departments, the Nebraska State Fire Marshall’s Training Division, Nebraska State Forest Service and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
    Beau Licking, Game and Parks superintendent at Enders and Rock Creek, said they expect to start the burning about 8:30 a.m.
    Other fire departments also will be at Enders to assist. The prescribed burn is also used as a training exercise, said Game and Parks officials.
    Licking said about 420 acres will be burned on the north side of the lake in the Area B/Enders Bay campground. An estimated 40 personnel will be on scene, he said.
    The objectives are to reduce the wildfire potential on the SRA, lessen the risk of wildfire to the town of Enders, train local fire departments and Game and Parks staff and control eastern red cedar and invasive species, Game and Parks officials said.
    The temporarily closed portions of the SRA during the burn will be the Center Dam campground, Area B campground, No Name Bay and Crappie Bay.
    Limited access may be required into the private cabin area, as well, depending on conditions, Licking said.
    Access to Church Grove campground and Cow Beach Day Use Area will be via 335 Avenue from Highway 6, east of Imperial.
    Road 733 will be closed from the town of Enders west to Cow Beach Day Use Area. Access to the main area campground will be available at the main entrance off Highway 61.
    Users of open areas of the SRA may encounter light to moderate smoke. Access in those areas could be restricted if smoke levels are determined to be unsafe, he added.