Fire crews continue to battle the Coyote Flats Fire southeast of Rockerville, which has burned an estimated 385 acres and remains 0% contained as of Thursday morning.
Firefighters spent the night providing structure protection and beginning mop‑up work, targeting hot spots inside the fire perimeter. The blaze was mapped early today, and its cause is still under investigation, according to the Type 3 Interagency Incident Management Team.
Today’s objectives include strengthening control lines, refining the fire’s perimeter mapping, continuing mop‑up around threatened structures, and preparing for any new starts as critical fire weather persists across the region. Federal, state, and local crews and equipment are on scene.
Air resources are expected overhead by midday. A Type 3 helicopter and two South Dakota National Guard Blackhawk helicopters are currently assigned to the nearby Qury Fire but can be redirected to Coyote Flats if needed.
A Red Flag Warning remains active until 7 p.m., with unseasonably warm temperatures near 76 degrees, very dry air, and winds gusting up to 25 mph. Fire managers warn that conditions will stay near-critical to critical through Saturday.
A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the fire area. Officials stress that unauthorized drones or aircraft could ground firefighting air operations.
For evacuation and road closure updates, the public is urged to visit the Pennington County Public Safety Hub at pennco.org/publicsafetyhub.
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