Fire prompts evacuations near Town of Keystone

A fast moving fire in Keystone prompted evacuations of two neighborhoods east of town March 22.

Battle Creek Fire Department supported the Rockerville Volunteer Fire Department on the wildland fire north and west of South Rockerville Road and Hwy. 40. The South Dakota Highway Patrol had South Rockerville closed at the intersection of Hwy. 40. Forest Service Road 365.1F, the site of the actual fire, remained closed throughout the weekend. By mid-afternoon March 24 it was reopened, and the fire was confirmed completely contained.

Residents of Granite Point Court and Metz Road received a “Go Now” evacuation alert at 3:59 p.m., about an hour after the fire was reported. Dry conditions as well as swirling northwest winds created the call for evacuations. The fire grew quickly from a few acres to 39 acres within that hour timeframe. About 25 people were likely impacted by the evacuation. No structures nor people were lost in the incident.

The evacuation decision, according to Pennington County emergency director Dustin Willett, was a collective one between the incident commander, who was on the fire front line and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Even before the evacuation order reached people’s cell phones, the sheriff’s office was on the ground going door-to-door asking people to grab essentials and evacuate. For some on Metz Road, that meant temporarily rehoming horses.

Keystone’s response to the situation was immediate, with the town board providing food and shelter to displaced residents. Town officials came out personally to help get people to safety quickly.

The town also responded to the needs of first responders. According to Casey McNulty, Keystone Town Board president, the community was able to get 180 meals put together and sent out to the firefighting line  March 22.

McNulty was assured by the Keystone maintenance staff that water would not be an issue for the town or in the response.

Krista Landreneau, public information officer for the Black Hills National Forest, said that as of 9 a.m. March 24 crews were  securing lines and mopping up.

Landreneau said  the speed with which the fire grew was a result of incredibly dry extreme drought conditions as well as winds that just continued to kick up.

“The fuel load was extremely volatile,” she said. 

Conditions first responders faced included rocky terrain and blind corners.

“Add in the heat, the fire and the exertion, there is incredible risk,” Landreneau said. 

She also said fire season began early prior to seasonal firefighters being in the Black Hills. 

Besides the aforementioned, the response also included the U.S. Forest Service, South Dakota  Wildland Fire and the South Dakota Black Hats hand crew. The state dozer helped cut lines. First responders received updated weather reports continually from the National Weather Service.

Landreneau called it a collaborative effort. 

“Agencies have made a concerted effort to do exercises to maximize resources,” she said.

There are two investigators looking at how the fire began.

Keystone is located in the Black Hills National Fire Protection District  which means no open flames nor dispersed campfires are allowed. In order to minimize wildfire risk, 

Landreneau reminds people not to park over tall grass, to not have any hanging chains on vehicles, to avoid mowing near rocks and to report any plumes of smoke  they see immediately.