SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Officials have closed the Needles Highway and Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park of the Black Hills in South Dakota, according to a Custer State Park Facebook post Friday night.
A wildfire warning and evacuation has been issued for the Little Devils Tower area also in the Black Hills according to GovOne Stop active Public Safety Alert Friday at 2:45 p.m. (MDT).
Authorities are warning people to evacuate the area immediately. If unable to evacuate, shelter in place in a rocky area, that is void of fuels such as brush and trees.
Also closed in Custer State Park are:
Needles Highway
Sylvan Lake Area
Trails 4 and 9
Little Devils Tower
Cathedral Spires
Visitors are urged to avoid these areas until further notice.
Dry conditions remain across the state, making risk for a fire dangerously high. Officials are warning the public to be extra careful over the weekend.
“A small spark from activities like mowing the lawn, recreational shooting, chains dragging on the road while pulling trailers, and operating a motorized vehicle in tall grass can start a fire” Jason Virtue, Fire Management Staff Officer of the Black Hills National Forest said in a news release Friday.
This is a developing story. Stay with KELOLAND News on-air and online for the latest information.
