Photos from the Norbeck prescribed fire – Wildfire Today

Photos from the Norbeck prescribed fire

Bill Gabbert
October 20, 2014

These are photos taken October 20-21, 2014 at the Norbeck Section 2 prescribed fire being managed on State, Federal and private lands approximately 4 miles northeast of Pringle, South Dakota. More details about the project can be found here.

Norbeck prescribed fire — Wetting down the six-foot wide mowed firellne just outside the Wind Cave National Park boundary, before the lighters touch off the vegetation on the other side of the wire fence, meant to contain bison, but not flames.

As far as I know, there were no significant spot fires or slop-overs in the area shown above.

Norbeck prescribed fire — The south end of the Norbeck prescribed fire as seen from the Rankin Ridge Lookout Tower.

Norbeck prescribed fire — Rugged terrain on the Norbeck prescribed fire — one of the reasons the interior of the project was ignited from a helicopter.

Norbeck Section 2 prescribed fire, — As the sun sets in the evening at the Norbeck Section 2 prescribed fire, cooler air begins to settle into the low lying areas, taking smoke with it.

Norbeck Rx, Sat photo, 10-21-2014 — Smoke from the Norbeck prescribed fire as seen from a satellite, October 21, 2014. NASA.

Norbeck Section 2 prescribed fire — (click to enlarge)

Except as noted, all photos above were taken by Bill Gabbert and are protected by copyright.

Norbeck Section 2 prescribed fire — Satellite photo taken at 5:30 p.m. MDT, October 20, 2014, showing smoke from the Norbeck Section 2 prescribed fire in southwest South Dakota. NASA photo.

Comments

More in Reports

November 13, 2026 / 2 minutes

‘Unfathomably’ fast wildfire killed 4 wildland firefighters near Colorado-Utah border, new report finds

November 11, 2026 / 1 minute

New wildfire platform connects US fire departments, emergency managers and tribal governments to resources

North Australia and Rangelands Fire Information - NAFI, current fires at 10 November 2026.

November 10, 2026 / 1 minute

New federal support for Australian bushfire preparation