KEYSTONE, S.D. – Officials say firefighters continue making good progress toward full containment of the 244 Fire, burning in the Mount Rushmore National Memorial near Keystone, SD.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the 123-acre blaze is now 50% contained.
The fire has been determined to be human-caused but its exact cause remains under investigation.
Mount Rushmore remains closed to the public today, along with portions of the memorial’s major access roads, SD Highway 244 and US Highway 16A. These closures are being evaluated daily.
Sixty firefighters from federal, state, and local government are working to secure containment lines, mop up hot spots, and remove hazardous snags from along roadways.
Approximately 15 structures are threatened.
