The 79 Fire burning north of Buffalo Gap, remains at 60% containment as of Monday morning, according to incident command.
The fast-moving grass fire has burned just over 5,400 acres in eastern Custer County since igniting late Saturday morning east of Highway 79. Fire officials say forward progress has been stopped, and crews are continuing mop-up operations along the perimeter.
All evacuation notices and road closures have been lifted, though authorities are asking the public to avoid the area while suppression efforts continue. A temporary flight restriction remains in place to protect aerial firefighting operations.
Gov. Larry Rhoden has declared a state of emergency, allowing suppression costs to be covered by the state fire suppression fund as state, federal, and local crews continue working the fire.
Officials say strong winds and very dry prairie grass fueled extreme fire behavior early in the incident. Weather conditions remain a concern, with a Red Flag Warning in effect through Monday evening due to warm, dry, and windy conditions across western South Dakota.
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