Myrtle Fire Update
Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team- Bill Hahnenberg, Incident Commander
Fire Information: (605) 939-0354
Email: myrtlefireinfo@gmail.com“>myrtlefireinfo@gmail.com
Date July 22, 2012
Time: 9:00 p.m.
Current Situation: Containment of the Myrtle Fire was increased to 40% this evening. Firefighters continued to improve and mop up fire line on the northern perimeter of the fire. Crews were successful in conducting firing operations to secure the southeastern portion of the fire today. On the western portion of the fire, firefighters continued to improve and mop up fire line. As fire crews have been able to assess areas within the fire perimeter, it was discovered that several structures on the historic Williams Ranch were burned during the Myrtle Fire. A media tour of the Williams Ranch will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday. Information officers will also be available for media tours at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. All media tours will meet at the staging area in Pringle.
Officials from the Incident Management Team, Hell Canyon Ranger District, Custer County Sheriff’s Office, and Pringle Fire Department addressed the community tonight during a public meeting at the community building in Pringle.
For information on other fires in the Black Hills area, please contact Great Plains Fire Information at (605) 923-8868 or greatplainsfireinfo@gmail.com“>greatplainsfireinfo@gmail.com.
Weather: Scattered thunderstorms are anticipated to continue tomorrow and persist through the next several days. Temperatures will be in the 90’s tomorrow with a minimum relative humidity of 30% and increasing in the afternoon with the development of the expected thunderstorms. Winds will be light and variable during the early part of the day and then transition to an east wind in the afternoon.
Evacuation: Evacuations for all areas other than Argyle Road and east of Highway 89 have been lifted according to Custer and Fall River County officials. Residents living along Highway 385 in the fire area were allowed to return to their homes Sunday night. Access is limited to residents of the area only and those residents are being guided by a pilot vehicle.
The Red Cross has closed the evacuation shelter at the Mueller Center in Hot Springs. At this time, the shelter at Custer Middle School is staffed for information only.
Closures: The Black Hills National Forest has issued a Temporary Area Closure for the Myrtle Fire area.Wind Cave National Park remains closed until further notice. Highway 385 is now open to residents only. Residents will be guided by a pilot vehicle to access the area. Fire managers and cooperating agencies will meet on Monday to evaluate the possibility of opening Highway 385 to the general public.
Public Safety: Smoke may impact residents and visitors in the area of the fire. Please use caution when driving in areas of smoke.
Special Prevention Message: Stage II Fire & Smoking Restrictions are in place on the Black Hills National Forest. Fireworks are always prohibited on public lands. For complete information on Stage II Fire & Smoking Restrictions, please visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5378450.pdf.
Fire Statistics
Location: 1 mile east of Pringle, SD Start Date: July 19, 2012
Size: 10,080 acres Percent Contained: 40%
Cause: Under Investigation Total Personnel: 621
Cost: $2,100,000
Resources on Scene: 7 Type 1 hand crews, 6 Type 2 hand crews, 56 engines, 3 dozers, 13 water tenders, 7 Type 1 helicopters, 1 Type 2 helicopter, 3 Type 3 helicopters, fixed wing support and overhead personnel
Mossagate Fire
The Mossagate Fire is now 60 percent contained, with a low potential for growth at this time. Firefighters will continue mopping-up and patrolling the fire into the evening. Incident Commander Brian Daunt credits the good work done today to the excellent interagency efforts between Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Niobrara County and the U.S. Forest Service. He especially complimented the work on at least 10 local volunteer fire departments including: Edgemont, Hill City, Niobrara County, and several others.
Location: Ten miles northwest of Edgemont, SD
Size: +7,000 acres
Cause: Lightning
Containment: 60%
Resources:
14 engines assigned to structure protection
1 hand crew
1 water tender
North Horse Fire
According to Incident Commander Jared Hohn, firefighters made good progress today on the North Horse Fire. Accurate mapping has shown the fire to be held in check at 22.5 acres and the fire is now 70 percent contained. The smokejumpers are staying with the fire tonight to continue strengthening the fire line and begin mop up.
Location: Four miles southwest of Cascade Falls, SD
Cause: Lightning
Size: 22.5 acres
Containment: 70%
