Ron Brackett
Wildfires burning in the Black Hills of South Dakota have forced hundreds of residents to evacuate and Mount Rushmore to close.
The largest, the Schroeder Road fire, has consumed nearly 3 square miles just west of Rapid City, South Dakota. It was first reported at 9:22 a.m. Monday MDT and was driven by winds that gusted over 70 mph in Rapid City.
“We are at record-dry conditions along with high winds playing a major factor in this fight,” Jay Esperance, division director for South Dakota Wildland Fire, said in a Facebook post.
The blaze has destroyed at least one home and several outbuildings, according to the Pennington County Sheriff's Office. It is 0% contained. Officials are looking into the cause of the fire.
A chimney is one of the few recognizable structures after a house burned Monday, March 29, 2021, in the Schroeder Road fire just west of Rapid City, South Dakota. As many as 500 homes were evacuated because of the fast-moving fire.(MORE: Two Iowa State University Students Die When Crew Club Boat Capsizes)
Sheriff Kevin Thom said 400 to 500 homes were evacuated, though some residents were allowed to return home Monday night.
"On a personal level, my wife and I were evacuated as part of the fire," Thom said at a news conference. "I watched a neighbor's house go up in flames. So it touches all of us."
About 2:30 p.m. Monday, a fire near Keystone forced officials to close Mount Rushmore National Memorial. The memorial, and roads surrounding it, will be closed at least through Wednesday.
Also at the news conference, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said the fire was not threatening Mount Rushmore. She said the fire, which had burned about 75 acres, appeared to be moving toward more remote areas. Another 20-acre fire was also burning near Keystone.
Noem said a rapidly growing fire between Kadoka and Murdo, about 100 miles east of Rapid City on Interstate 90, crossed the interstate and caused at least one accident, KELO reported.
Critical fire weather conditions remain on Tuesday in much of western South Dakota, though not in Rapid City itself, the National Weather Service said.
"Gusty northwest winds will continue today across the western South Dakota plains. Winds will increase this morning and continue through the afternoon at 30 to 40 mph with gusts to 55 mph," the NWS said.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
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