SEPTEMBER 11, 2024:
The First Thunder Fire is now 100% contained. Emergency responders would like to thank all of our cooperators including South Dakota Wildland Fire, Rapid City Pennington County Emergency Management, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office and all of the Volunteer Fire Departments and other fire crews who helped keep the public informed and helped get this fire contained.
Stage I Fire Restrictions are in place on the Black Hills National Forest for both SD and WY. Fireworks are always prohibited on public lands. For complete information on Stage I Fire Restrictions, please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/blackhills/fire/?cid=fseprd1040075.
Public safety information can be found at www.facebook.com/PennCoSheriff.
Those responding to the fire would also like to thank the residents of Pennington County for being so supportive to the firefighters. Your generous donations of food and water and your cooperation during this incident are appreciated.
SEPTEMBER 6, 2024:
Firefighters have made great strides in their efforts to suppress the First Thunder Fire that was reported early evening on September 2, 2024. Cooler temperatures and scattered rain showers yesterday provided much needed moisture and was helpful to the firefighters to reinforce the fireline during operations. Firefighter and public safety continue to be a top priority.
Pre-evacuation warnings have been lifted in the area. Taylor Ranch, Norseman, Victoria Lake, Buzzard’s Roost Trailhead and Falling Rock are now open. Incident personnel would like to remind everyone that although the roads are open, please be mindful that firefighting operations are still ongoing and to avoid the area, if possible, for public and firefighter safety.
Fire weather Thursday (Sept. 5, 2024) continued to be favorable with mostly sunny skies with temperatures in the mid 70s and relative humidity at 45% and low wind speeds 5-10mph through the weekend. Monday will bring temperatures into the 90s and lower humidity and gusts up to 20mph.
For more information, please visit the First Thunder fire Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/FirstThunderFire2024
Public safety information can be found at www.facebook.com/PennCoSheriff.
First Thunder Fire:
Location: 3 miles southwest of Rapid City, SD
Fire Information: 605-923-8868
Start Date: 9/2/2024
Cause: Under Investigation
Size: 157 acres
Containment: 77%
Resources: 100 total personnel, heavy equipment including dozers, engines, and hand crews.
SEPTEMBER 5, 2024:
Firefighters continued their efforts throughout the night (Sept. 4-5, 2024) to contain the First Thunder fire that was reported early evening on September 2, 2024. The fire had little growth overnight, allowing crews to establish and reinforce containment lines around the fire to stop forward progression. Multiple air resources aided ground crews yesterday with suppression efforts. Firefighter and public safety continue to be a top priority.
There are still no evacuations in effect. Pre-evacuation information continued to be delivered by the Pennington County Sheriff’s Department to residents yesterday impacted by the fire for their awareness. Road closures are still in effect today. Taylor Ranch, Norseman, and Victoria Lake remain closed. Buzzard’s Roost Trailhead and Falling Rock are now open.
Fire weather Thursday starts a three-day trend of bringing more favorable weather to the Black Hills area with temperatures into the 70s and higher relative humidities. Breezy winds today around 25mph, with gusts up to 40mph during passing storms. A chance of scattered rain showers today could bring much needed precipitation to the area, aiding with fire suppression efforts.
For more information, please visit the First Thunder fire Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/FirstThunderFire2024.
Public safety information can be found at www.facebook.com/PennCoSheriff.
First Thunder Fire:
Location: 3 miles southwest of Rapid City, SD
Fire Information: 605-923-8868
Start Date: 9/2/2024
Cause: Under Investigation
Size: 157 acres
Containment: 41%
Resources: 200 total personnel, heavy equipment including dozers, engines, and hand crews. Airtankers and helicopters are on standby.
SEPTEMBER 4, 2024:
September 4, 2024 – Firefighters continued their efforts throughout the night to contain the First Thunder fire that was reported early evening on September 2, 2024. The fire had little growth overnight, allowing crews to establish and reinforce containment lines around the fire to stop forward progression. Multiple air resources aided ground crews yesterday with suppression efforts. Firefighter and public safety continue to be a top priority.
There are still no evacuations in effect. Pre-evacuation information continued to be delivered by the Pennington County Sheriff’s Department to residents yesterday impacted by the fire for their awareness. Road closures are still in effect today. Taylor Ranch, Norseman, and Victoria Lake remain closed. Buzzard’s Roost Trailhead and Falling Rock are now open.
Fire weather Wednesday (Sept. 4, 2024) starts a three-day trend of bringing more favorable weather to the Black Hills area with temperatures into the 70s and higher relative humidities. Breezy winds today around 25mph, with gusts up to 40mph during passing storms. A chance of scattered rain showers today could bring much needed precipitation to the area, aiding with fire suppression efforts.
For more information, please visit the First Thunder fire Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/FirstThunderFire2024.
Public safety information can be found at www.facebook.com/PennCoSheriff.
First Thunder Fire Updates:
Location: 3 miles southwest of Rapid City, SD
Fire Information: 605-923-8868
Start Date: 9/2/2024
Cause: Under Investigation
Size: 157 acres
Containment: 41%
Resources: 200 total personnel, heavy equipment including dozers, engines, and hand crews. Airtankers and helicopters are on standby.
SEPTEMBER 3, 2024, UPDATE:
Firefighters have been working through the night to contain the First Thunder fire that was reported early evening on September 2, 2024. The fire is burning grass and timber in steep, rugged, and rocky terrain under very dry conditions. The fire is also burning in a previously treated area, aiding with fire containment and suppression efforts.
Containment effort has been direct attack, where feasible, using safe and appropriate tactics. Firefighters will be implementing a combination of direct and indirect strategies for full suppression, while providing for firefighter and public safety.
There are currently no evacuations in effect. Pre-evacuation information was delivered by the Pennington County Sheriff’s Department to residents impacted by the fire last night for their awareness. There are a few road and trail closures impacted by the fire. Taylor Ranch, Norseman, Victoria Lake, and Falling Rock roads are currently closed. In addition to the road closures, Buzzard’s Roost Trail is also closed.
Fire weather Tuesday is expected to be breezy with winds from 15-25mph with gusts up to 45mph. Temperature high near 100 degrees with low relative humidity, and afternoon dry thunderstorms are possible over the Black Hills. The Black Hills area is under a red flag warning until midnight tonight. The next three days will bring more favorable weather with lower temperatures into the 70s and higher relative humidity.
A Type 3 team assumed command of the fire today as of this morning. For more information, please visit our Great Plains Fire Information blog at http://gpfireinfo.blogspot.com
First Thunder Fire Information:
Location: 3 miles southwest of Rapid City, SD
Start Date: 9/2/2024
Cause: Under Investigation
Size: 170 acres
Containment: 0%
Resources: 100 total personnel, heavy equipment including dozers, engines, hand crews, airtankers, and multiple helicopters.
Fire Information: 605-923-8868
SEPTEMBER 3, 2024:
An interagency effort, led by South Dakota Wildland Fire (SDWF) and assisted by both federal and local resources, is actively working to suppress the First Thunder Fire about 3 miles SW of Rapid City and 2 miles NE of Colonial Pine Hills. The fire was first reported on private property just after 6 pm Monday (Sept. 2, 2024). There are no structures currently threatened by the fire.
SDWF estimates the fire at more than 40 acres burning primarily in the Black Hills National Forest. There will be a transition of authority from SDWF to a Type 3 Incident Management Team effective this morning at 8 a.m.
Critical fire weather conditions are forecast to continue with hot temperatures and relative humidity as low as 10 percent.
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