A Dangerous Fire Season?

Dakota Midday - 05/20/2004

Continued drought in the Black Hills could translate into a busy fire season this year. Rocky Mountain Area Predictive Services released a warning that years of drought have put Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota in danger of a very active fire season. Also, Black Beetle infestations could add fuel the fire situation, as the bugs kill off more trees and create more fuel. In the Black Hills, snowpack was only 25 percent of normal. Also affecting the upcoming fire season are loss of fire-fighters to the Iraqi War effort and deficits in equipment resources. Our experts, Joe Lowe, State Wildland Fire Coordinator, and Dean Berger, Fire Management Specialist with the US Forest Service, will tell us where things stand right now, what they expect for the season and how we can all help to prevent wildfires, and to prepare and protect or homes and properties.

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