Qury Fire Near Custer Achieves 68% Containment as Residents Begin Returning Home
- Steve Jurrens
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
Northeast Radio SD News – Custer, SD - The Qury Fire, located two miles southeast of Custer, has officially reached 68% containment. The blaze currently stands at 9,168 acres.
Incident Commander Todd Hoover and the Type 3 Interagency Incident Management Team reported on Saturday, March 21, that 292 personnel remain assigned to the incident. As containment grows, demobilization is underway, and crews are transitioning to mop-up operations along the fire’s.0 perimeter. Firefighters are also actively rehabilitating interior dozer and hand lines to restore the landscape to its pre-fire condition.
Repopulation efforts have commenced across the entire fire area. Access is strictly limited to residential traffic, and returning residents must present an Orange Card issued by Custer County Emergency Management.
While residents are returning home, several public closures remain in effect. These include Lower French Creek Road from Highway 16A to Highway 87, Hazelrodt, Glen Erin, Flynn Creek, Herbert Draw, and Highway 87 from 16A to the northern boundary of Wind Cave National Park. The national park itself remains open to the public.
Weather conditions today will be warm and dry, with a maximum temperature near 82 degrees, relative humidity around 8%, and winds blowing at 10 to 15 mph. A cold front is expected to move into the area this evening and into Sunday morning, bringing cooler temperatures, higher humidity, and slightly stronger winds.
Fire officials are urging caution on local roadways. Firefighting efforts will continue to kick up dust, reducing visibility on gravel roads. Residents are asked to drive slowly and keep their headlights on. While smoke will still be visible in the area, authorities assure the public that necessary staffing remains on the line and firefighters are remaining vigilant.
Finally, a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) remains active over the fire’s perimeter. Authorities emphasize that unauthorized aircraft, including drones, cannot be flown over the area, warning, “If you fly, we can’t.”
