Custer is burning...again! (Rapid City, Hill City: house, live, club)

[no8fann]

This time the fire's a little close to home for comfort! 2 miles from my house! Yikes! Hope the wind dies down soon!

Black Hills Fox - Crews battle fire in Southern Hills | 2012/04/02/ | News Archive - KEVN Local News - Rapid City South Dakota

[ElkHunter]

The Apple fire was just contained on Saturday. But that was South East of Custer.

As SD2040 said, it's that time of year. I've been posting the weather alerts saying Red Flag Warning. Conditions are terribly dry and humidity is down and wind is up.

[no8fann]

Originally Posted by ElkHunter

The Apple fire was just contained on Saturday. But that was South East of Custer.

As SD2040 said, it's that time of year. I've been posting the weather alerts saying Red Flag Warning. Conditions are terribly dry and humidity is down and wind is up.

It certainly is! We had lightning through the area for a little while last night, so that would be my guess. The high winds aren't helping, but I am glad it's cold today! It was snowing a bit ago - wish it would let loose and rain!

[SD4020]

Last fire I was doing structure protection on a different fire the same day as the apple fire was rolling.

There are a few tips for make a house or other structures more defendable in case of fire. The first is access. The engine/tender we were funning weighs in at nearly 60,000 pounds. So a good road in and out of a property is paramount. Also make sure there are no branches overhanging the road lower than 14 feet. We will back our trucks in to make quick egress in case we need to get out of there in a hurry.

The next thing is keeping fuels clear or minimized around the property. Trees thinned and pine needles picked up... The duff will burn hot. Crown fires and torching are never any fun.

Keep firewood stacked away from the house and make sure shingles are nonflammable

I looked at a NIFC’s fire prediction for April. We are in the zone for significant wildland fire potential. The fuels situation is forecasted to improve as month continues, grasses greening up etc. Most of our outcome will be contingent on the development of a drought. The forecast shows us holding even. I question those findings.

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by no8fann

It certainly is! We had lightning through the area for a little while last night, so that would be my guess. The high winds aren't helping, but I am glad it's cold today! It was snowing a bit ago - wish it would let loose and rain!

Remember last month when I stopped and visited my Aunt and you got that terrible snow?

On the road from Custer to Hill City, she lives about a quarter of a mile from the junction that goes to Mount Rushmore. So I've been calling her to talk with her and see how close everything is to her. She's 85 or 86 years old and lives by herself. She still drives and is very active, but I just wanted to make sure she is ok. Ring no answer, but she could be in to one of her quilting party's or clubs, or whatever. All winter long she never missed a club meeting. She drives to Rochford to attend Church every Sunday and never missed a week. Snow doesn't scare that old gal. hahaha

Can you give us a better description as to where it is at? News isn't very descriptive "North West of Custer." That leaves a lot of territory.

[SD4020]

Elk it is 9 miles north west of Custer. Up in the Limestone... Last I knew it was at 10 acres.

Edit: Just talked to a forest service ranger, the fire is contained at 10 acres.

[no8fann]

Yup. It was in the Jasper burn area WAAYYY out on Limestone, so thankfully the fuel load was small, and it was cold and humid yesterday which helped immensely. It was about 3 miles as the crow flies from my place.

We inherited several slash piles that are overdue to be burned, and we have several cut trees that are ready to be firewood this summer. The grass is dry enough to make me want to water it, just to be safe! It's not mowed on our property (terrain won't allow it), so it's nothing but a pile of tinder... Just lost another tree last night, and there are a few close enough to the house to make me nervous, but I don't know if we can get permission from the property owner to cut them. Thank God for steel roofs!