RAPID CITY S.D. — The South Dakota Department of Agriculture’s Wildland Fire Division reminds people to use extreme caution when shooting off fireworks in areas of the state where dry conditions exist.
“One small spark has the potential to start a wildfire,” said Jim Burk, assistant chief of operations of South Dakota Wildland Fire. “Anyone who causes a wildland fire intentionally or through negligence can be held financially accountable for damage and suppression costs.”
In the Black Hills area, local, state and federal agencies have combined fire restriction information on one website, http://www.blackhillsfirerestrictions.com. Fireworks are prohibited within the Black Hills Forest Fire Protection District, which is located in west central South Dakota. A map with boundary locations can be found at: http://wildlandfire.sd.gov/.
SD Wildland Fire encourages you to follow these recommendations:
- Don’t use fireworks where a fire could start
- Have quick access to water or water on hand to douse a fire should one start
- Travel and camp with a shovel
- Properly dispose of cigarettes
- Make sure campfires are “dead” out
- Avoid parking vehicles in tall or dry grass
South Dakota Wildland Fire can be found on Twitter @SDWildlandFire and on Facebook by searching SD Wildland Fire.
Agriculture is a major contributor to South Dakota’s economy, generating $25.6 billion in annual economic activity and employing over 115,000 South Dakotans. The South Dakota Department of Agriculture’s mission is to promote, protect and preserve this industry for today and tomorrow. Visit SDDA online athttp://sdda.sd.gov or find us on Facebook and Twitter. SD Ag Chat podcasts can be found in the Ag News section at http://sdda.sd.gov/news. You may subscribe, free of charge, through Google Play Music, iTunes or from https://sdagchat.podbean.com/.
— South Dakota Department of Agriculture
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