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.