Rapid City, SD; November 16, 2016 – 209 acres were successfully ignited yesterday, November 15, 2016, on the Black Hills National Forest Silver Mountain prescribed fire.
The Silver Mountain project area is located approximately 10 miles west/southwest of Rapid City, SD between Highway 16 and Sheridan Lake Road, along Boulder Hill Road to the west.
The prescribed fire was effective in breaking up the continuity of dead, downed fuels which will lessen the severity and extent of future wildfires in the project area. The fire will also benefit wildlife habitat and create a more adaptive fire ecosystem.
Typically, the Forest Service will only burn when the smoke dispersal rating is fair or better. A rating of fair or better allows smoke to rise higher in the atmosphere and allows upper air winds to disperse smoke. Officials said smoke dispersal was very good yesterday resulting in light smoke impacts.
Ignition will not continue today, however, resources will remain on scene to extinguish burning and smoldering material near fire lines.
The Silver Mountain prescribed fire was conducted in the area of the Battle Creek Fire that occurred in 2002.
For more information on Black Hills National Forest prescribed fire, visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/blackhills/landmanagement/resourcemanagement/?cid=STELPRDB5112694