Fire crews are gaining ground on the Qury Fire southeast of Custer as containment improved to 44% on Thursday, despite another day of critical fire weather.
The wildfire remains at 9,161 acres with 328 personnel assigned, according to the Type 3 Interagency Incident Management Team led by Incident Commander Todd Hoover. The cause is still under investigation.
Officials say control lines continue to hold, even through periods of high fire danger, boosting confidence that containment lines will remain secure. Firefighters are conducting extensive mop‑up operations around the perimeter and monitoring pockets of unburned fuel. Crews are also repairing and restoring fire‑line areas built by bulldozers.
With containment improving, some crews are now available to support initial attack on any new starts in the Black Hills.
Critical Fire Weather
Weather conditions Today are expected to challenge firefighters, with temperatures near 72 degrees, 10–15 mph winds and gusts up to 25 mph, and humidity dropping to about 20%. Officials warn that increased fire activity is possible and that smoke or interior flames may be visible as heavier fuels burn out.
Despite that, crews remain confident that recent work will hold.
A warming trend is forecast to continue through Saturday.
Closures & Access
Several areas remain closed to the public, including:
- Lower French Creek Road from Highway 16A to Highway 87
- Hazelrodt, Glen Erin, Flynn Creek and Herbert Draw
- Highway 87 from 16A to the north boundary of Wind Cave National Park
(Wind Cave National Park itself remains open.)
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