March 10, 2017

12:00 p.m.

White Tail Fire

Custer, SD - The Type 3 Incident Management team managing the White Tail Fire will transition to the local unit led by a Type 4 Incident Commander at 4:00 p.m. today.

Aided by cooler temperatures and light snow overnight, the White Tail Fire is now 70% contained and 249 acres. The fire will be 100% contained by 4:00 p.m.

No structures have been lost and 60 personnel remain on site.

Today, crews are continuing to strengthen containment lines and work to ensure hot spots along the perimeter are extinguished. It has been estimated that around 230 fence posts have been burned; crews are working on repairing the fences to keep buffalo in Custer State Park. Crews will be released tonight.

Highway 87 from Blue Bell Lodge to the intersection at Hwy 16A will be re-opened today, March 10, at 4:00 p.m.

Smoke will remain visible for the next several days as isolated and heavy fuels continue to smolder within the perimeter of White Tail fire.

Fire Statistics

Start Date: March 8, 2017

Size: 249 acres

Containment: 70%

Location: 6 miles southeast of Custer, SD

Cause: Tree fell on power line

Total Personnel: 60 personnel remain on scene

March 9, 2017

4:00 PM

White Tail Fire

Custer, SD – The White Tail Fire, located near Lower French Creek in Custer County started on Wednesday, March 8, 2017 and continues to burn in rugged terrain. The fire is 249 acres.

A Type 3 Incident Management Team is managing the fire.

Crews conducted successful burnout operations today and continue to secure the edges around the fire. At 3 p.m. today, the fire was 60% contained. Crews continue to extinguish and remove burning material near lines and fell snags.

Resources will remain on scene overnight.

Highway 87 from Blue Bell Lodge to the intersection at Hwy 16A remains closed.

As isolated and heavy fuels continue to smolder within the perimeter of White Tail fire, smoke will remain visible for the next several days.

The public is reminded to use caution when traveling in the vicinity of the fire area as there is heavy fire traffic on French Creek Road.

Located off Whitetail Rd near Lower French Creek in Custer County
~~30+ acres~~ 100-150 acres
State and Federal resources, dozer, ANG, volunteer Fire departments and SD DOT with air attack platform all on scene
Cause is under investigation
Type 3 team in place
Burning on Custer State Park, Forest land and private land; majority of fire in Custer State Park
Started from outside of Custer State Park and moved in
Direct attack is difficult because of terrain
Resources on scene will be staying overnight
Hwy 87 from Blue Bell Lodge to the intersection at Hwy 16A is closed
Expect heavy fire traffic on Lower French Creek Rd
Cause has been determined to be a tree that fell onto a power line