A spokeswoman for Gov. Kristi Noem said a fire in Custer State Park is 60 acres, not 150 as the governor's office reported previously.
Maggie Seidel, an adviser to the governor, said the new estimate is the result of aerial infrared scanning. She said rugged terrain originally made it difficult to estimate the size of the fire.
The Mine Draw Fire started Wednesday morning. It’s burning between Highway 16A and Center Lake.
Original reports from public officials Wednesday afternoon said the fire was 15 to 25 acres in size. Wednesday night, the governor’s office told the media the fire had grown to 150 acres. The new 60-acre estimate was released today.
There are 117 firefighters, two helicopters and a plane on the scene. The fire is 25 percent contained. No injuries or damages to structures have been reported.
Highway 87 North is closed from the junction of Highway 16A and Needles Highway to Playhouse Road. Custer State Park remains open. But the Grace Coolidge Walk-In Fishing Area and Center Lake beach and lake access are closed. Helicopters are pulling water from the lake.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The fire’s location is 7 miles south of Mount Rushmore. President Trump plans to attend a fireworks display at the memorial next week. The plan has been controversial, in part because of the risk of wildfires from falling embers.
The fire comes one week after a wildfire on the Pine Ridge Reservation burned about 1,500 acres.