Photos of the Cold Fire in the Black Hills – Wildfire Today

Photos of the Cold Fire in the Black Hills

Bill Gabbert
April 2, 2016

Above: The rocky ridge just west of the Cold Springs School along Flynn Creek Road.

These photos of the Cold Fire in the Black Hills of South Dakotawere taken by Bill Gabbert April 2 and 4, 2016. By April 3 the fire had burned about 1,300 acres, Wind Cave National Park, Custer State Park, and the Black Hills National Forest north of Hot Springs.

Much more information about the fire is in our main article.

Fire Aviation has photos and more information about the helicopters assigned to the fire.

Cold Fire — Operations Section Chief Todd Hoover being interviewed by Rapid City media.

Cold Fire — A firefighter demonstrates suppressing a fire with water.

Cold Fire — Firefighters at a dozer line just outside Wind Cave National Park on the southeast side of the Cold Fire.

Cold Fire — The fire started northwest of the Cold Springs School off of Flynn Creek Road, north Wind Cave National Park.

Cold Fire — A South Dakota State dozer. Two were ordered for the fire.

Cold Fire — The view from the Rankin Ridge Lookout Tower, looking west.

Cold Fire — Engines on Rankin Ridge Road in Wind Cave National Park.

Cold Fire — The sun setting through the smoke.

Comments

More in Reports

October 7, 2026 / 2 minutes

Fewer destructive fires in Kimberley landscape due to Indigenous-led burning: study

October 6, 2026 / 2 minutes

Sorting and sharing in the world of new technology

Residents gather in Flagstaff, Arizona, for a presentation on modeled post-fire flood risk maps after the 2019 Museum Fire.

October 5, 2026 / 11 minutes

Advancing community wildfire adaptation