A 12-acre grass fire encroached so close to the New Underwood
elevator that firefighters had to battle the blaze from inside the
building Saturday.
New Underwood Fire Chief Ron Racicky said the fire started
about 11 a.m. near the on ramp to 1-90 north of town and quickly
spread toward the elevator. He said he doesn't know what started
the fire but speculated something such as sparks from car brakes or
someone throwing a cigarette out their window.
Racicky said dry fuels surrounding the building only helped
the fire spread.
"It was about a foot thick with straw, hay and tall weeds," he
said. "There sure was a lot of good fuel."
He said the dry weather and heat made the fire hard to stop,
but by 4 p.m., the fire was out and the elevator was saved.
"I don't know how we got it stopped," Racicky said.
Responding to the fire were firefighters from departments from
Wall, Wasta, Box Elder, Ellsworth, North Haines, Rapid Valley and
the South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression Division.
