400 homes evacuated, Rushmore closed amid South Dakota fires

Wildfires in the Black Hills of South Dakota have forced evacuations of more than 400 homes northwest of Rapid City and shut down Mount Rushmore, authorities said Monday.

A fire that started near Schroeder Road in the Nemo area, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) northwest of Rapid City, had burned as much as 11/2 square miles and was "still moving" on Monday afternoon, according to the Pennington County Sheriff's Office. Several outbuildings and possibly two homes have been destroyed, officials said.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who traveled to Rapid City to oversee the response, said the Schroeder Road fire started on private property. She said "there has been losses and that is tragic."

https://www.startribune.com/400-homes-evacuated-rushmore-closed-amid-south-dakota-fires/600039991/