Strong Winds Create Problems for Fire Crews Near Custer
Local News
by
Anna Zook
last edited on
Thursday, October 18, 2012
A wildfire reported at 6am on October 18th continues to burn near Custer. Fork Fire is located at about 3 miles north of Highway 16 and 5 miles west of Custer. Several fire personnel are trying to contain the estimated 100-acre fire.
Evacuations have been ordered for the sub-division located on Renegade Pass Road and firefighters are working actively to protect the homes that are threatened in the area.
One small generator shed was lost in the flames earlier Thursday morning.
A Type III Incident Management Team along with Forest Service, state, local, and volunteer fire departments are on the scene.
Dry weather and strong winds are a dangerous combination, both are playing a large role in fueling the flames.
"We're battling hard right now, and when the wind quits blowing that's really going to give us the break we need. So it's just that the wind has laid the smoke over which creates tremendous amount of smoke for firefighters to see and also breathe that all the toxins out of that,” says Incident Commander, Matt Spring.
Currently the Fork Fire is 0% contained.
The North Pole Road is closed to general traffic from Highway 16 to the Custer Limestone Road. The flames are on both federal and private land.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Several other wildland fires were reported in the Black Hills Thursday.
7 small fires, ranging between 1-2 acres except for one that reached 15 acres were all reported earlier today but Wildland Fire Officials say they are 100% contained.