- Reported: 7:11 a.m. on April 7, 2022
- Location: 5 miles WNW of Custer, SD
- Size Update: 111 acres
- 100% Contained
- Controlled on April 9 at 2:30 p.m.
- Resources: Federal, State, and Local
- Cause: under investigation
Custer, S.D., April 8, 2022 –
Firefighters worked throughout the night to suppress
the Wabash Spring Fire. As of 10:00 a.m. this morning, a combination of hand
line, dozer line, and hose lay are completely around the fire and it is 100%
contained.
The fire remains at 111 acres.
Crews will continue mop-up operations and monitoring today and into the next
few days to ensure the fire is completely out.
“The quick response and reduced
fuels in the area resulted in the successful outcome of minimizing impacts and
protecting homes,” said Wayne Yanders, Wabash Spring Fire Incident Commander
Trainee. "Firewise mitigations taken by many of the homeowners played a key
role in getting around this fire quickly."
The fire was reported at 7:11
a.m. yesterday approximately 5 miles west of Custer, S.D. It was burning north
of Highway 16 in the Upper French Creek area.
Wabash fire managers would like to thank everyone involved in containing this fire. The quick response by local, state, and federal crews was outstanding, resulting in no structures lost and no reported injuries.
Fire updates and information is posted at http://gpfireinfo.blogspot.com/. For further questions, please call Wabash Spring Fire Information at (307) 217-2804 or e-mail wabashspringsfireinfo@gmail.com.
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| (Wabash Spring Fire, taken 4/7/22, by Luke Hittner, Black Hills National Forest/USDA Forest Service) |
The Custer
County Sheriff’s Department, https://www.facebook.com/custercountysd, re-opened Highway 16 earlier this afternoon Local traffic only is encouraged for firefighter and public safety. Evacuations
have been lifted for residents along Fjerdingren Place and Big Pine Road, east
of the fire perimeter. For residents along Highway 16, Palomino Place, and
Pinto Lane, evacuations will be lifted at 6:00 p.m. For updated Evacuation
information, please call the Custer County Dispatch at 605-673-8176.
Winds are expected to decrease overnight, and
crews will remain on scene to mop up and secure the fire perimeter. Incident
Commander Trainee, John Haskivitz said, “Forward progress has been stopped and
I expect to see more progress throughout tonight. Full containment is not
expected until sometime tomorrow.”
Custer County Emergency Management has set up an
evacuation center in the gym of the old Custer Armory. Click here for more
information: https://www.facebook.com/CusterCountySDEM.
Crews, engines, and dozers are working to stop forward progress. The fire is being managed by a unified command between South Dakota Wildland Fire and The Black Hills National Forest. The fire is approximately 30% contained.
Strong winds are pushing the fire rapidly and smoke is making travel on highway 16 very difficult. Highway 16 is closed from Custer to Pleasant Valley Road. Follow Custer County Sheriff Department’s page for additional information: https://www.facebook.com/custercountysd.
Custer County Emergency Management is setting up an evacuation center in the gym of the old Custer Armory. Click here for more information: https://www.facebook.com/CusterCountySDEM. For Evacuation information, please call the Custer County Dispatch at 605-673-8176.
For public and firefighter safety, the public is asked to stay away from the area until it is safe to return.
