Several fire crews from around the state are stationed in the Black Hills, on call for the rest of the week.
They're finding ways to stay busy -- and helpful -- while they wait for the call they hope won't come.
One of the things they're doing is hanging fire warning signs anywhere they think people will see them, in places like convenience stores and campgrounds.
"This way we're out. We're getting to know the roads and the hills and the environment," said Brad Vosburg, engine boss for a crew out of Renner, S.D., just north of Sioux Falls.
"We don't have this type of problem this time of year like they do," he said.
The Renner engine is one of three from eastern South Dakota still on hand, just in case.
"We staff for two different [situations]," said Jay Esperance, South Dakota's Wildland Fire director. "One is for initial attack. That's what these folks are for."
And there were a whole lot more of those folks in town until Wednesday morning, when Wildland Fire released five out-of-state engines that were costing them around $3,000 per engine per day.
In-state engines cost about half that.
Using those daily costs the agencies provided, South Dakota Wildland Fire has spent about $125,000 on additional engines in the last week alone.
"We have a fund that we basically charge deficit to for situations like this," Esperance explained, "and then hoping that the Legislature will make us whole at the end of the year," which it always has.
But Esperance said they're doing their part to try to keep costs down.
Two big factors are education and preparation.
"We can't prevent lightning," he said. "We can be prepared."
"The faster they can get on the fires, we can get them while they're small," added Vosburg. "That's the key, is the amount of time it takes us to get resources there."
The crews are scheduled to return home at the end of the week, but more bad weather could delay them even longer.
