South Dakota

Fears decrease but work remains to control wildfire near Rapid City • South Dakota Searchlight

Published

1 year ago

September 4, 2024

Fears decrease but work remains to control wildfire near Rapid City • South Dakota Searchlight

RAPID CITY — A leader in the fight against a wildfire near South Dakota’s second largest city said Wednesday morning he’s less concerned, even as work to contain the fire continues.

“My comfort level is a lot higher now than it was yesterday,” said Brandon Sanchez, the U.S. Forest Service official who serves as incident commander.

The First Thunder Fire began Monday evening in a rocky and forested area cut by deep canyons in the Black Hills, several miles west of Rapid City. Since then, crews of local, state and federal firefighters have worked to keep the flames from spreading toward residential areas on the city’s western edge.

A map from NASA and the U.S. Forest Service shows the approximate location of the First Thunder Fire near Rapid City on Sept. 4, 2024.

Investigators are still working to determine the cause, Sanchez said. The fire is burning an area of the Black Hills National Forest that’s mixed with parcels of private land. There have been no reports of injuries or damaged structures.

Some road closures remained in effect Wednesday morning, as did a flight restriction aimed at preventing drones and other aircraft from interfering with helicopters and tanker planes used by firefighters.

Authorities are asking those who live near the fire to stay prepared in case they’re ordered to leave, said Lt. Jason Mitzel of the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office.

A map of the First Thunder Fire area provided by the U.S. Forest Service on Sept. 4, 2024.

“Right now we’re not doing any evacuations, and it doesn’t look like there’s going to be a need for any evacuations,” he said. “However, whenever there’s an incident like this, we always just ask people to be prepared in case that time may come.”

The estimate of the fire’s size Wednesday morning was 155 acres, only 5 acres larger than Tuesday’s estimate. About 150 firefighting personnel were on the scene.

Sanchez said firefighters have established a perimeter around the fire. The perimeter consists of earthen lines dug by hand or bulldozer, and also includes manmade and natural fire breaks such as roads and rocky outcrops. Tanker planes have dropped retardant chemicals ahead of the fire’s advance, and helicopters have dropped water.

Despite those efforts, estimated containment of the fire remained at 0%. That’s because fire remained close to the lines in some areas, and firefighters were working to knock those flames down. Sanchez said an updated containment estimate would probably be issued later Wednesday.

Weather remains a wild card. Clouds gathering Wednesday over the Black Hills were expected to bring helpful rain, but Sanchez said firefighters were also monitoring potential thunderstorms that could produce fire-fueling wind.

Sept. 2-3, 2024, images of the First Thunder Fire just west of Rapid City.

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South Dakota

SD Lottery Lucky For Life winning numbers for Jan. 8, 2026

Published

5 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 8, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

05-12-13-39-48, Lucky Ball: 13

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.

When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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South Dakota

Sheridan Lake rescue prompts winter ice safety warning

Published

17 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Sheridan Lake rescue prompts winter ice safety warning

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – A harrowing scene at Sheridan Lake ended without serious injury Tuesday after a man, a woman and their dog fell through thin ice near the swimming beach, authorities said.

Keep pets on a leash and never attempt a risky rescue if someone falls through the ice, officials said. Call 911 immediately.

The South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks agency advises that ice three inches or less is unsafe. Four inches is generally considered the minimum for walking, ice fishing or skating.

Lt. Casey Kenrick of the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office said the incident is a reminder to take extra precautions this winter.

“Usually at this time the ice is significantly thick on the lakes around the area, well, some aren’t even frozen all the way at this point. The temperatures have been up and down so much that the ice isn’t solid even though it may look like it is, so make sure you know the ice depth that you’re getting onto,” Kenrick said.

Kenrick said those precautions could mean the difference between a close call and a tragedy.

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South Dakota

A day in South Dakota history

Published

1 day ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – On Jan. 7, 1995, William Janklow began his third of four terms as governor. From statehood until 1972, governors served two-year terms. Voters then approved a constitutional amendment in 1972 allowing governors to serve two consecutive four-year terms.

Janklow served from 1979 to 1987 and again from 1995 to 2003. His 16 years are the longest stint of any governor in South Dakota history

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