South Dakota: North Pole Fire

North Pole Fire
A Black Hills National Forest engine crew makes sure the North Pole Fire does not spread into the meadow near Highway 18 west of Custer, SD. Photo by Bill Gabbert.

(UPDATE at 11:10 a.m. MDT, March 11, 2015)

The North Pole Fire west of Custer, South Dakota has not grown since late yesterday. The size is now reported to be 59.3 acres and is being held in check by hand firelines, dozer lines, and roads. Firefighters from multiple agencies staffed the fire overnight and a new shift has taken over today. There have been no reported injuries.

In something that is fairly new for South Dakota, yesterday and today inmates from the “Rapid City Minimum Unit” were assigned to the fire; 11 yesterday and 12 today.

State and federal investigators are attempting to determine the cause.

While there is a Red Flag Warning in effect for south-central South Dakota, the weather forecast is not as extreme for the area where the fire is in the Black Hills in the southwest part of the state. The spot weather forecast for the fire, which is 5,600′ above sea level, issued at 5:27 a.m. on Wednesday calls for sun, 62 degrees, 15 percent relative humidity, and afternoon west winds of 10 to 15 mph, gusting to 20. For Thursday they expect partly cloudy skies, 56 degrees, 27 percent RH, and winds out of the northwest at 5 to 10 mph.

The name of the fire came from the nearby North Pole Spring and North Pole Road, which is also known as FDR 288.

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When I arrived at the North Pole Fire six to eight miles west of Custer, South Dakota, (map) at about 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10, the firefighters had just about stopped the spread. It was burning in timber adjacent to a complex of cabins and had bumped up against a meadow on the southwest side near Highway 16. The sun was setting and I grabbed a few pictures like the one above before the light swung into near-night mode, which provided some opportunities for shots of firefighters illuminated by flames. Click on the images to see larger versions.

North Pole Fire
North Pole Fire. Photo by Bill Gabbert.
North Pole Fire
North Pole Fire. Photo by Bill Gabbert.

Firefighters did a good job of protecting the structures seen in these photos.

The 8:31 p.m. update from the Great Plains Fire Information staff put the size at about 60 acres, on a combination of private and Black Hills National Forest land. Firefighters will be on the fire all night Tuesday and will have fresh crews on the fire Wednesday.

North Pole Fire
A firefighter uses a chain saw to buck a burning log on the North Pole Fire. Photo by Bill Gabbert.
North Pole Fire
Embers fly as a firefighter with a Pulaski mops up the North Pole Fire. Photo by Bill Gabbert.
North Pole Fire
As a firefighter throws a burning branch deeper into the North Pole Fire, embers streak through the air. Photo by Bill Gabbert.

It is not that unusual to have wildfires in the Black Hills in March and April. While it can snow in these months, the herbaceous vegetation is still dead and there are frequently dry spells between the precipitation events. Prescribed fires are often conducted this time of the year before green-up begins in May, however the weather in the spring is usually very variable and it can sometimes be difficult to squeeze in a prescribed fire in this season. The spring of 2014, for example, was wetter than normal and little to no broadcast burning occurred.

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Author: Bill Gabbert

After working full time in wildland fire for 33 years, he continues to learn, and strives to be a Student of Fire.

3 thoughts on “South Dakota: North Pole Fire”

    1. Actually Jim, it seems he’s taken “Fire Entrapment Avoidance” training and realized he’s safe working in the black without a shelter. He should be more concerned with overhead hazards in this environment.

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  1. My goodness what a fire to behold. Amazing to see all the firemen working to contain it. Heliocopters was a need to be used, if at all possible.

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