RAPID CITY, S.D. – As crews continue to reign in the Schroeder Fire west of Rapid City, all residents of areas evacuated have received the all clear to return home.
The final two neighborhoods – Nameless Cave Road and Cleghorn Canyon – were given permission Friday morning to return home.
Officials ask people to remain on their own property and limit travel to allow first responders to continue to work in these areas. They should also be aware of increased equipment around Highway 44 and fire areas. Law Enforcement will continue to provide extra patrols in areas affected by the fire. Reduced speed limits are posted and will be enforced. For firefighter safety, it is prohibited to pull off the road or park along the highway.
The fire is listed as 86-percent contained and has burned 2,224 acres.
Operations Section Chief Trainee Nathan Hallam says they had some activity overnight in Cleghorn Canyon, but no threat to allowing residents back in.
“We had some activity through the morning and last night in this area. We got crews out there today, taking a look at that. It was a downed tree that had fallen and caught on fire so they were able to get in there and secure that. It poses no threat to the community there at this time. It was just a green island that was burning.”
He says crews will be working on some uncontained line in the Nameless Cave Road area.
“They did a lot of great work in their yesterday with the Type I Helicopter, dropping some water on the green islands we have. And they’re gonna go back in there and try to create some more containment lines today.”
Residents of Cleghorn Canyon and Nameless Cave Road have been asked to keep a watchful eye out for fire approaching and have been advised to expect some smoke and heavy charring in the area when returning home.
Meanwhile, the two smaller fires burning near Mount Rushmore and Keystone are now 100-percent contained. The 244 Fire burned 136 acres while the Keystone Fire burned about 10 acres.
In Perkins County, the Divide Fire is 95-percent contained and has burned almost 12,000 acres of grassland. Community members and affected ranchers will meet April 8 in Bison to talk about relief efforts.
Firefighters say people across Western South Dakota should be cautious outdoors this weekend.
Dry conditions, high temperatures and gusty winds could turn any spark into a wildfire.
