RAPID CITY, S.D. – Fire crews continue to make progress in containing the Auburn Fire north of Rapid City.
On Wednesday, firefighters focused on an extensive mop up operation to reinforce containment lines. No spot fires emerged, containment lines held through the hot, dry, and windy Red Flag conditions.
Fire officials remind residents near the fire area that they should expect to continue to see smoke that is coming from fuel burning within the fire perimeter.
Overnight Wednesday is expected to be the last night operational shift unless fire conditions change considerably.
A rehab plan for the fire area is in place which includes rehabbing and seeding dozer lines, fixing fences that were cut during firefighting operations, and fixing roads and trails that firefighting equipment may have damaged.
State Wildland Fire, the Rapid City Fire Department and Rapid City Police Department have also determined the cause of the Auburn Fire as accidental, due to mechanical failure of earth moving equipment.
They reiterated it was not a human caused fire.
The earth moving equipment had been sitting in a field and had not been operated for a long period of time. There is evidence to confirm these findings. The fire started on private property within city limits and quickly spread outside of the city. Authorities say no additional information will be available.
