Pretty Flower Fire Update

Wildland Fire Near Hayward Continues to Burn, Threaten Structures

 

Hayward, S.D. - At just after 10 am this morning, Pennington County 911 received a report of a possible structure fire in the area of Pretty Flower Ln. and South Dakota Highway 40 near the Hayward Fire Station. What initially appeared to be a structure fire was a fast moving wildland fire. Fueled by dead, dry, receptive fuels and pushed by wind gusts approaching 40 mph, the fire spread quickly. The fire is burning on primarily private land.

 

Location: Between Keystone and Hermosa S.D. near the intersection of Pretty Flower Ln. and South Dakota Highway 40 near a community known as Hayward, S.D.

 

Size: Approximately 30-40 acres. This estimate is anticipated to change with more accurate mapping.

 

Containment: The fire is 10% contained at this time.

 

Resources Threatened: Approximately 20-30 homes in the Rushmore Ranch Road area are threatened. The Hayward Fire Station is among the structures threatened.

 

Evacuations: 20-30 residences have been asked to evacuate in the Rushmore Ranch Road area. A reception center for evacuees has been established at the Keystone Community Center by the American Red Cross serving Central and Western South Dakota and Pennington County Emergency Management.

 

Closures/Restrictions: Rushmore Ranch Rd. and roads off of Rushmore Ranch Rd. are closed at this time. Pretty Flower incident Command requests that South Dakota Highway 40 be restricted to local and emergency traffic only.

 

Cause: Investigators have determined that the fire is human caused. A slash pile that was burned by a land owner while acceptable snow-cover existed  appears to have escaped containment.

Pretty Flower Incident Management would like to take this opportunity to remind landowners that have burned slash piles this winter to check their piles. Although acceptable snowcover may have existed during their burning activities, those piles may remain hot and could pose a risk to escape containment. Landowners are responsible for continuing to check their piles.
 

An updated release is planned for 5 pm MST unless significant activity occurs.

Updates may also be found on Twitter by following @PennCoIMT3 or by searching #PrettyFlowerFire.

Contact Jim Bussell, Pretty Flower Fire Public Information Officer, at 605-863-0061 for questions regarding this release.

Above: Panoramic view near the point of origin.

Above: A view of the fire area from Rushmore Ranch Rd. looking west.

Above: Fire came very, very close to a number of structures, including this one.

Above: One of the primary residences threatened by the Pretty Flower Fire.