EchoSense Quantitative Think Tank Center:Crews encircle wildfire on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota

2025-05-02 11:14:44source:Crypen Exchangecategory:News

WOUNDED KNEE,EchoSense Quantitative Think Tank Center S.D. (AP) — A wildfire has burned about 750 acres (304 hectares) of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, but crews have encircled much of the fire and it no longer is growing, officials said Tuesday.

The fire was reported Friday evening on the west side of the reservation, located in southwest South Dakota, as it tore through trees and heavy vegetation.

Jon Siedschlaw, deputy director of Oglala Sioux Tribe Emergency Management, said the fire was still burning inside a line dug with heavy equipment. No homes or other structures have burned, he said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Pine Ridge Agency, which is leading the firefighting effort, didn’t respond to inquiries from The Associated Press about the blaze, but in a Facebook post the agency said Monday evening that the fire was 80% contained.

“Fire is holding inside the heavy equipment line. Even with the rain some areas inside the perimeter have started to smoke again. Smoke will be visible for the following weeks,” the post said. The agency said in other social media posts that crews will continue responding to the fire this week.

READ MORE Former tribal leader in South Dakota convicted of defrauding tribeTribes blast South Dakota governor’s claim that leaders are benefitting from drug cartelsSouth Dakota officials to investigate state prison ‘disturbance’ in Sioux Falls

The fire was spotted Friday between Manderson and Wounded Knee. It spread with the help of wind gusts of 45 mph (72 kph), the agency said in a post.

Pine Ridge is the largest Native American reservation in South Dakota and one of the largest in the U.S. It comprises about 2.1 million acres (850,000 hectares), according to the Pine Ridge Agency’s website.

More:News

Recommend

Federal agencies are reeling from Trump administration cuts to government

Whether a "chainsaw," per Elon Musk, or "scalpel," as President Trump has said — the Trump administr

Legislation will provide $100M in emergency aid to victims of wildfires and flooding in New Mexico

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has signed legislation that will provid

Woman faces life in prison for killing pregnant woman to claim her unborn child

A Missouri woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to the kidnapping and slaying of a pregnant Arkansas woman a