Responders question resources as White Draw fire grows - KOTA Territory News

Responders question resources as White Draw fire grows

The White Draw fire near Edgemont has grown to about 4,950 acres.

Almost 200 firefighters are on hand to battle the flames, and incident commanders tell us they could be there for a while longer.
 
"There's other fires in the area," said fire information officer Cindy Super, "so there's starting to get lots of competition for resources. But all we can do is ask."
 
And with only about 50 percent containment so far, they might have to keep asking. 

"Hot, dry, windy, thunderstorms," Super said. "I think we're kind of in that weather pattern."
 
Shifting winds Sunday night pushed the fire back on itself, which helped keep it from spreading too much.

But Monday, firefighters battled the same heat, the same wind, and the same rough terrain.
 
"We talk about safety constantly, and that's something that we always consider," said incident commander Bob Fry. "That doesn't mean the environment's safe."
 
That's one possible reason he thinks the C-130 cargo plane crashed Sunday.
 
"Those guys may be with the military," he said, "but the reality is they're firefighters."
 
And fighting fires, he said, can be deadly work. "Are we doing things differently? I hope not, because safety was there before"

Responders also report no structures have been seriously threatened as of yet, but they're keeping their eyes open as the hot, dry weather drags on.