Crazy strong winds and extremely dry drought conditions have spawned several wildfires causing are closures and home evacuations.

There are other fires too such as the Argyle fire near Hot Springs. Member walkinghorse lives there.



Fires SSE of me:

Crews are responding to multiple fires near Keystone on Monday.

There could be at least two. One of the fires is 1.5 miles southwest of Keystone and is estimated to be 20 acres.

Highway 244 is closed from Keystone to the stoplight at Mount Rushmore Memorial. 16A beginning at Grizzly Campground is also closed.

Fire officials are asking the public to stay out of the area for public and firefighter safety.

The fire is burning in heavy dead and downed timber with very high potential for spread due to very high winds. Cause of the fire is unknown.

The Keystone Fire Department crews responded to a fire is burning near the Keystone Y, off of Highway 16. Additional crews have been called. Smoke can be seen from Mount Rushmore.

Fire Danger in the Black Hills is extreme on Monday. Wind gusts are over 55 mph are likely with some gusts to 70 mph in northwest South Dakota. The Black Hills National Forest has a red flag warning in effect.



Big fire to the West:

The wildfire at Schroeder Road (4 miles west of Rapid City) and Nemo Road has continued to rapidly develop and more neighborhoods are asked to evacuate.

Residents living on Dark Canyon and Magic Canyon area, Cavern Road, Nameless Cave Road, Cleghorn Canyon Road, in the Pinedale Heights area and anyone west of Berry Pine Heights Drive are evacuating. Previously, the Westberry Trails Subdivision was evacuated.

Stay safe.

They just closed a 44 miles stretch of I-90 from Murdo to Kadoka due to wildfires. This is about 80 miles east of Rapid City.

The whole area is a tinderbox

Sorry to hear. This is the wrong time of year for range fires. We plan on coming this way next week on our trip back to Montana.
Mike

Thanks. Unusual as this is NOT "fire season" here.

The Schroeder road fire is now 1000 acres. Just had a 3pm news conference with Gov Noem on site with incident management team.

Keystone area fires have also grown as well as the Custer County RT244 fire. Fire fighting aircraft continue to be grounded because of the extreme winds.
I-90 has been reopened as the Kodaka-Murdo fire has been contained.

Colorado is responding with assistance.

Shit. Hate to read this report

Sorry to hear about the fires, I know how scary that can be. Our county is conducting controlled burns in and around the national forests. We have the occasional smoky haze but not too bad.

Stay safe my friend.

Fire season has already started....its not even April yet?

The Argyle fire is approximately 2-3 miles away from me in pretty rugged country. Suspicion is a downed power line caused the fire, per the reports on the county radio system by responding units. It was initially reported by one of the AVFD members when he noted a smoke plume near his home.There was a call for Type 3 assistance yesterday for a fire on the Pine Ridge reservation yesterda. Then today's continuation of high winds and fires starting today are stretching resources right now. Saw a news report they have 3 heavy tankers on alert and helicopters are unable to operate due to winds.
www.gpfireinfo.blogspot.com is a interagency cooperative of Public Information Officers providing information about incidents within the Great Plains Dispatch Zone.

*Edit.......Just heard on radio one AVFD unit has been released from Argyle fire so hopefully that means they have gained some control but with the high winds continuing anything is possible!

Glad you're safe Jim.

I've got a cabin in the BHNF northwest of Hill City. I've been watching the news feeds and evacuation orders from Pennington County most of the afternoon. Have some friends in the Johnson Siding/Nemo area, hoping for the best for them.

quote:

Originally posted by bald1:
Unusual as this is NOT "fire season" here.

Fire season for some lasts 10-12 months a year; it's been trending that way since the mid 90's, increasing.

Have experienced that in California and we are in the middle of the state away from the fires. It looked like fog visibility. Smell of burning in the air. Soot and ash on the cars parked outside.

If you have any respiratory issues, be careful. We kept the house shut up.

quote:

Originally posted by bald1:

..The whole area is a tinderbox

I hate hearing this bald1, I wish we could have sent you some of the rain we got Sunday and part of Monday.

Probably should not expect help from the Feds

The "feds" are heavily involved in firefighting.

Federal assistance on wildland fires comes in funding when necessary, and in equipment and personnel either on request, or when federal lands are threatened or involved.

quote:

Originally posted by bald1:
Glad you're safe Jim.

Thanks Bob! Argyle fire is contained and out per our Chief!
Per GP site looks like the tanker resources will be busy tomorrow on the Schroeder fire tomorrow. Heard the winds died enough the helicopters were able to make some flights today!
So maybe containment will be quick!
Hopefully everyone involved stays safe!

News here at 4:30pm indicates the Schroeder Fire as well as the 2 fires in the Keystone / Mt Rushmore area are still ZERO % contained with burnt acreage continuing to grow. Thankfully no fatalities but one home is now gone.

A heavy air tanker and a pair of National Guard helos with buckets are flying today in the Schroeder fire fight.

Extremely strong wind gusts as well as the drought extreme fire conditions continue to impact things. That said, it appears the Schroeder fire was human caused.

Governor Noem has just declared a state of emergency for the entire State due to extreme fire danger throughout plus no forecast for any rain for quite some time to come.

Another fire in Perkins County (north central South Dakota) has closed Route 20. Evacuations expected.

Sad,beautiful area of the state..

We were trail riding in that area last summer there is a lot of fuel from the pine beetles. Stay safe hate to see any area get hit with a fire, my beloved Black Hills especially.