A Crucial Day Ahead for Firefighters on the Longhorn Complex Fire

St. Francis, SD–

 

New fire information phone lines. The public is encouraged to call between the hours of 8:00 am to 8:00 pm: 605-747-2046 or 605-747-2707.

 

Fire crews continue to make good progress on the fire. The fire is now 50% contained. Handcrews, engines and bulldozers continue to construct and strengthen fire lines, provide point and structure protection, and continue patrol, and mop up along the lines. Today’s weather forecast is for very hot temperatures possibly 110 or higher. New ignitions from embers are a concern for firefighters, with the forecasted high temperatures and low humidity as well as the overall dryness of fuels; fire crews will be on the lookout for these occurrences.

Nine helicopters and air tankers will continue making water and retardant drops. Air efforts will be focused on the South Crazy Horse Fire and the Spring Creek Community. These areas are of critical concern. Mop up and cold trailing is continuing along the northern perimeter of the fire.

The resources that arrived yesterday are on the job today and currently there are 597 personnel assigned. In spite of unfavorable weather, steady progress has continued on the fire. No residential structures have been lost. Four outbuildings were lost when the Iron Shell Fire doubled in size on Sunday night. At today’s morning briefing, Incident Commander Joe Lowe told firefighters, “Let’s get it out, finish strong, and not take the progress made for granted.”

Spring Creek Community is still under an evacuation notice. The Red Cross Evacuation Center at St. Francis remains open.

BIA 30 and BIA 5 are closed into the Spring Creek Community. Also, the junction of BIA 501 and BIA 5 towards Spring Creek is closed.

The Longhorn Fire has burned 1,664 acres. The Beads Creek Fire and the Iron Shell Fire have burned together and are now known as the Iron Shell Fire, for a total of 36,887 acres. The South Crazy Horse Fire, located 1/8th of a mile east of the Iron Shell Fire and 1.5 miles north of the Spring Creek Community, has burned an estimated 1,500 acres. A total of 40,051 acres have burned in the complex to date.