Cheyenne River, S.D. (KELO) — The Route 13 fire on the Cheyenne River Reservation is currently around 38-thousand acres.
Officials say it’s now 50 percent contained.
You just need to look around to see how far the Route 13 Fire has spread.
Crews have been working around the clock to keep it from growing even larger.
“We’re in a D-2 drought so we’re going to have things burning under the ground. So it may look like it’s out, and the next day we can come back and it’s going to be popping up. So it’s going to take a long time before we can even call this thing 100%,” Zone Field Specialist Julian Red Buffalo said.
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With this week’s changing winds, the fire got close to the Takini School forcing students to evacuate on Monday.
“A domino effect. Every kiddo got to eat, every kiddo got right on the bus in a single file order and we got them out in just the nick of time,” Takini School Principal Tiffany Moore said.
Ranchers in the area have been helping by spraying water from their tanks, and even drawing fire lines with their tractors.
“Too much fuel you know grass wise, and too much wind. You know, I didn’t really do any good until way away from it and made a big barrier to somewhat slow it up,” Local Rancher Sean Deal said.
Tomorrow if students head back to school, fire crews will be sticking around.
“With the wind event coming, we’re going to be monitoring pretty heavily on the north side of this thing. Still have a bit of heat popping up,” Zone Field Specialist Julian Red Buffalo said.
Today Moore and her staff have been out delivering food to their students at home, all thanks to the men and women on the front lines.
“Look warn and tired, and knowing that they’re all here just for the purpose of fighting this fire for our community, for our students, for everybody here, I mean it means the world. The Takini School can’t even thank everyone enough because they literally saved our school,” Moore said.
The Tri Community Development Association has been providing meals for firefighters.
The Cherry Creek Clinic is also offering debriefing and counseling sessions for people in need.
