Elk Fires intensity drops after rain and snow [Video]

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – The Elk Fire continues to burn in Sheridan County, but last week’s rain and snow reportedly decreased the fire’s overall intensity and slowed its growth.

”We got about an inch of rain over the entire fire area,” Sheridan County Emergency Management Coordinator Jesse Ludikhuize said, “It’s definitely dampered down the fire activity. Unfortunately, it is not a fire-ending event, but definitely a fire-slowing event.”

Ludikhuize praised the two incident management teams that have worked on the Elk Fire. He said firefighters built strong containment lines to protect nearby communities; some lines are a quarter of a mile wide.

Containment is now estimated at 48%. The Elk Fire has burned more than 96,000 acres in the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains and in grasslands to the east.

See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.

Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here…