Photo courtesy Murdo Volunteer Fire DepartmentPhoto courtesy Murdo Volunteer Fire DepartmentPhoto courtesy Brandon KinsleyPhoto courtesy Brandon Kinsley

Fire on the Prairie

A fire hit Jones County on Friday, February 19. A brake drum from a semi trailer started the spark on I-90 near the 188 exit, five miles west of Murdo on the Ken Poppe place. The fire quickly spread south pushed by strong winds and dry vegetation.
Twelve departments responded to the fire; Murdo, Draper, Ft. Pierre, Ft. Pierre National Grasslands, Vivian, Presho, Kennebec, Wood, White River, Belvidere, Kadoka, and Midland.
The blaze burned though the Poppe’s and the old Hogen place, came too close for comfort to Brandon Kinsley’s, and was finally arrested north of Richardson’s. A total of 496 acres was burned.
Brandon Kinsley shared his experience; “Kolby (Kinsley) and I rent the pasture and corrals from Ken. The fire burned down the windbreak and corrals by the old barn. The fire department saved the barn. We have about 1.5 miles of fence that will need to be replaced. By moving the hay and the fire trucks fighting fire we were able to save the hay. Kolby, Dylan Kinsley and David Hunt kept moving the cows away until they were clear of the path of the fire. They really had to hustle for a while and cut fences to keep the cows away. They even lost track of them for a while in the smoke. When they spotted them again the cows were headed right back into the fire, not smart animals. Luckily everyone was safe and the cows were moved back to one of our pastures.”
 

The Pioneer Review

221 E. Oak Street
Philip, SD 57567
Telephone: (605) 859-2516
E Mail: ads@pioneer-review.com

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