Following a very slow wildfire season in 2014, the first months of this year are proving to be very different in South Dakota. Yesterday firefighters completing mopup on the Sheep Draw fire in the northwest part of the state were sent to a new fire 45 miles away, the Moonshine Fire, 15 miles east of Buffalo, SD.
On Wednesday the fire grew from 200 acres to 500 acres, via running and crowning, in about half an hour due to strong winds and difficult terrain. Reported to be 2,000 acres this morning, it is located on private and Custer Gallatin National Forest lands.
Firefighting resources on the fire today will include 25 to 30 engines, 2 dozers, 1 helicopter, three hand crews, and a Type 3 Incident Management organization.
The fire is just outside a predicted Red Flag Warning area, but firefighters on Thursday should expect 32 mph northwest winds gusting to 47 mph, 42 degrees, and a relative humidity around 40 percent,
But, you won’t see this fire or other recent incidents in SD, MT, AZ, or MS listed on today’s National Situation Report because the National Interagency Coordination Center can’t be bothered to issue daily reports this time of the year. Once a week on Friday is good enough for them, according to their standard calendar.
The photos are from InciWeb.
