KADOKA PRESS - Pioneer Review

This & That … September 27, 2012 • Kadoka Press • Page 5
Wind-driven fire burns 2,465 acres, miles of fence, tons of hay
Smoke-filled air … The smoke rolls over the hillside toward the
home of Flavia Stotts on Wednesday, September 19. She also lost an abandon
place on her land.
Barn went up in smoke … The barn that was once by the tall
tree was destroyed in the fire, along with a number of other items in the
back, including a fuel tank.
Fire jumps the highway … and headed for the home of Brad
and Shawna Roghair south of the highway.
Fire threatens five residences
The aftermath … leading into the Brad Roghair residence. The
next day their daughter said, “It was by the grace of God that we didn’t
lose everything.”
Lending a hand … Baxter Badure drives the pickup while Cole
Hindman sprays the fire from the back. These guys were just two of many
who took personal units to the fire; they were not the only crew using
homemade fire units made by Scott Bauman.
North of Bork’s … this dam diverted the fire toward the southeast,
forcing the fire around the home place of Herman and Jewell Bork. They
lost fences, bales and winter grazing pastures.
And here’s where it started … A truck with a load of round
bales, traveling south on a gravel road, ignited three fires, which resulted
in at least 16 fire departments responding, and many other individuals,
to help extinguish the fires on Wednesday. This was the scene over the
hill north of Herman and Jewell Borks’.
--by Karlee Barnes
Murdo Coiyote
Wednesday, September 19 at
4:30 p.m. a semi hauling hay north
of Exit 177 started on fire, resulting
in a blaze that destroyed 2,465
acres of land.
The fire threatened five different
residences between Exit 177
and Okaton, both north and south
of Interstate 90.
Although no residences were
damaged, one shop building near
the Flavia Stotts home was destroyed,
as well as the abandoned
“Stickler Place,” owned by Raymond
Stotts.
According to Jones County
Deputy Sheriff and Murdo Fire
Cheif Rich Sylva, a semi carrying
Fire Photos
by
Ronda Dennis
bales accidentally ignited the load
of bales, then proceeded to drive
two miles down the road towards
the Interstate, spreading the fire as
it went. Sylva said it is unclear as
to how the bales actually started on
fire.
The blaze swept through the
Herman Bork place, taking with it
382 hay bales, as well as destroying
winter grazing pastures and approximately
7.6 miles of fence. To
make matters worse, a good portion
of that fence was new.
After making its way through
the Bork’s, the fire jumped the Interstate
and threatened both
Flavia Stotts’ residence, as well as
the residence of Nathan and Sherri
Vander Schaaf. A little further
south, Brad and Shawna Roghair’s
place was also in danger.
With a strong wind blowing the
fire south, Flavia Stotts knew she
had to do something, as the firemen
had not yet arrived at her
house.
With garden hose in hand, she
was determined to saturate her dry
yard around her house and
propane tank.
“Whether that stopped the fire
or not, I don’t know. I could see
where the firemen had sprayed the
north side of the house.”
Stotts said she took her car and
drove east to be out of the way of
the fire.
“Marty Roghair drove over to report
to me that my barn had gone
with the fire,” said Stotts.
The fire came within yards of
her house and destroyed her barn,
but the firemen were able to keep
the damage to only that.
Straight south of Stotts’ house,
the Brad and Shawna Roghair
place was in danger. Clarice
Roghair reported that Bob Roghair
drove over with his tractor and
disk, turning up ground to stop the
fire from advancing any closer to
the Roghair home.
The Vander Schaaf’s have been
threatened by fire more than once
this summer. The first time, a fire
started in the east bound lane of
Interstate 90, and spread up a
draw towards their home.
This time, the fire spread even
further, coming within less than
100 yards of their home. Sherri
Vander Schaaf said that the fire
has flared up near their house
twice since Wednesday.
Sylva reported that the Murdo
Kadoka Volunteer Fire Department … Dale Christensen (L) runs the tender during the fire
Wednesday afternoon, continually refilling any fire-fighting units in need of water. He had just refilled the unit
of Luke Carlson’s when a Kadoka truck manned by Fire Chief David Johnson (R) and past chief Rich Bendt arrived
for a refill. Bendt said flames were shooting over 20 feet high. Kadoka had all of their units at the fire, including
the Suburban, which was used to transport water and sandwiches to the crews fighting the fire.
Fire Department stayed on the
scene of the fire over night on September
19, and has been back
every day to monitor and wet down
hot spots as needed.
Sixteen fire departments responded
to the fire, including:
Murdo, Draper, Belvidere, Kadoka,
Midland, Philip, Ft. Pierre, Four
Corners, Wood, White River, Vivian,
Presho, Kennebec and Reliance,
as well as the U.S. Forest
Service National Grasslands stationed
in Ft. Pierre and B.I.A. from
Rosebud. The departments were
assisted by many neighbors who
drove personal fire fighting rigs.
In addition to other departments,
Sylva reported that many
other services assisted with the
fire. They include: Jones County
Sheriff, Jones County Ambulance,
SD Highway Patrol, Pierre Police
Department, State Radio Communications
Rapid City, SD Department
of Transportation, SD Office
of Emergency Management, Great
Plains Dispatch, West Central
Electric and Jackson County Emergency
Management.
Dean Nelson from West Central
Electric reported that 40 powerline
poles will have to be replaced as a
result of the fire. He said that nobody
was out of power for an extended
amount of time during the
fire. Pole replacement will continue
for the next two weeks.
Sylva estimated that 50-60 fire
trucks responded, and approximately
120 firemen.
“After the fire jumped the Interstate,
I put a call in to Great Plains
Dispatch for single engineer air
tankers, but before the could get
moralized, we had the fire under
control,” said Sylva.
Direct dollar damage reported so
far for the fire includes, but is not
limited to: Borks’ fence, the hay lost
and the buildings that were destroyed.
Indirect dollar damage includes
winter grazing pastures
owned by Borks, and wheat stubble
fields that provide cover and keep
moisture in the ground.
Sylva said, “Thank you for
everyone who brought food and
water to the firemen, it really made
it easier.”
The Murdo Fire Department has
responded to approximately 50
fires so far this year. Eight of those
include mutual aid calls, in which
the department is called to help another
county. Vegetation fires, such
as grass or wheat, accounted for 25
of the calls.
Sylva encouraged everyone to be
careful when it comes to anything
that can cause a fire.
“The season is not done yet,”
Sylva reminds.
He said, at this point, rain will
help, but it will not stop the fire
season.
Jackson County
Title Co., Inc.
615 Poplar St. • Kadoka, SD 57543
u u u u u
Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon
and by appointment.
Over 20 Years of Service
(605) 837-2286
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Food
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FUEL
Kadoka Oil Co.
Kadoka, SD
605-837-2271
For fuel &
propane delivery:
1-800-742-0041
(Toll-free)
Mark & Tammy Carlson
Midwest
Cooperative
Kadoka
South Dakota
•Grain •Feed •Salt
•Fuel •Twine
Phone: 837-2235
Check our prices first!
Ditching & Trenching of
ALL types!
837-2690
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Independent Norwex Consultant
605-391-3097 cell
kayreckling.norwex.biz
kmreckling@gmail.com
Phone
837-2697
Kadoka
SD
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