July 6 – 3 pm Update

Lightning occurring across the Black Hills since Thursday morning ignited 7 small wildfires on Forest Service land, all of which were fought by responding Federal, State and local resources.

The largest fire has burned 11 acres in very rugged terrain in the Horse Trap Mountain area near Minnekahta. As of this release, the Horse Trap Fire is estimated at 60% contained, as it continues to be fought by responding Federal, State and local resources.

4 other Southern Hills fires located west of Highway 89 were quickly contained and controlled. Their names, sizes and locations included:

• Ninemile Fire (just over 1 acre west of Pleasant Valley Road)
• Red Star Fire (one-tenth acre near Red Star Road)
• 313 Fire (one-third acre near Carroll Creek Road)
• Richardson Fire (one-tenth acre also near Pleasant Valley Road)

In the Northern Hills, two fires that started Thursday morning burned one-tenth acre each near the Wyoming/South Dakota border and were also quickly contained and controlled. Their names and locations included:

• Doghouse Fire (3 miles southwest of Crow Peak)
• Grand Canyon Fire (between Grand Canyon and Wagon Canyon)

Additionally, two separate campfires were left burning and unattended on Forest Service land in the Central Hills, but were also immediately extinguished by responding Federal, State and local resources.

Visitors in the forest are reminded to please make sure your campfires are dead out and cold to the touch before leaving them unattended.

Great Plains Fire Information
Jon Anderson, Public Information Officer