Mount Rushmore closed, hundreds of homes evacuated amid wind-driven wildfires

Monica Danielle
·2 min read
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Two wildfires in the Black Hills of South Dakota have forced evacuations of more than 400 homes northwest of Rapid City and shut down Mount Rushmore, authorities said on Monday.

The Schroeder Fire is burning west of Rapid City and has scorched 2,100 acres and forced 400 to 500 residents to evacuate from their homes the Rapid City Journal reported. Officials say the wind-driven blaze started Monday morning and has destroyed at least two homes and several outbuildings. The fire is currently 47% contained.

Schroeder fire burning near Rapid City, SD. Photo Credit: PenCoFire

As firefighters battled the Schroeder Fire, the Keystone fire was reported 1.5 miles southwest of Keystone and was fueled by the same winds that helped ignite the Schroeder fire. It has charred at least 75 acres and forced the closure of Mount Rushmore National Memorial, which is about 23 miles away, according to WGN9, through at least Wednesday.

Officials said the fire did not pose a threat to Mount Rushmore.

While no injuries have been reported, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, who traveled to Rapid City to check on the effort to fight the blazes, said the Schroeder Road fire started on private property and told The Associated Press, "There have been losses and that is tragic." Officials are still investigating the cause of both fires.

On Tuesday, Noem declared a state of emergency, which is in effect until June 1, 2021, due to the severe drought and fire conditions.

Schroeder fire burning near Rapid City, SD. Photo Credit: PenCoFire

The sheriff's department called it a "very active and dangerous scene" as crews battled the Schroeder Fire Monday. Powerful sustained winds ranging from around 50 mph to 72 mph were reported, with gusts up to 81 mph reported in the Rapid City area making firefighting difficult.

Matthew Bunkers of the National Weather Service in Rapid City told the Rapid City Journal that winds should be down to 10 to 15 mph in the Black Hills at midweek.

"Humidity is going to be low so ... we're going to stay dry," he said. "But the winds will be diminishing gradually so that's definitely good news."

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