Firefighters from multiple counties stopped a fire east of the Black Hills in South Dakota Saturday after it had burned 2,000 to 3,000 acres during Red Flag Warning conditions.
The fire was approximately 9 miles east of Fairburn on the Buffalo Gap National Grassland.
“The majority of fire was in a wilderness study area, which complicated suppression efforts,” said Jim Strain, Assistant Chief of the Fairburn Volunteer Fire Department.
Saturday afternoon the wind was blasting, with sustained speeds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts above 30 mph while the relative humidity was in the high teens and the temperature in the high 60s — difficult conditions for firefighters. After dark the wind slowed, 5 to 10 mph but with occasional gusts of 15 to 25 mph. Sunday afternoon it increased to 15 mph and 25 mph gusts, along with 27 percent relative humidity.
PPE not required for early season fires???
Wilderness area rules are not all encompassing. Considerations of life safety and property threats are always considered by a good IC. Suppression efforts can and are used in wilderness areas often.
I wonder why being in a WSA would complicate suppression efforts?
Wilderness areas are to be left to burn. In all actuality prairie fires burning dead grass really improve the prairie returning nutrients into the soil. If we can just get some snow or rain the grasslands will be lush later in the spring benefitting birds, insects, mammals, foliage.
Wouldn’t that depend on how close communities are to the wilderness boundary? Seems like suppression would have to take that into consideration.. otherwise wilderness fires could crank up and potentially become unmanageable.
Wilderness Area rules apply.
Ok thanks!