By Denise Ross

Stephanie Herseth brought the farm bill road show to Wall Monday, and Mount Blogmore was there.

Listening to testimony Monday at Wall are the members of the House Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management, including, from left, Reps. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., Stephanie Herseth, D-SD, Bob Etheridge, D-NC, Jerry Moran, R-Kan., and Bob GoodLatte, R-Va. (Steve McEnroe/Journal staff)

If you’d like to listen to the 2 1/2 hour hearing, we offer this special triple-issue of Talkin’ Smack: The South Dakota Political Junkies’ Weekly Fix on the Inside Dope. (I’ll get some video posted on Tuesday.)

Part 1.

Part 2.

Part 3.

Part 1 includes opening statements and Gov. Mike Rounds testimoney. Part 2 includes the question and answer session between committee members and the farmer types (Farmer’s Union, Farm Bureau, etc.) Part 3 includes testimony from the ranching types (Stockgrowers, Cattlemen, etc.) and a Q&A. The final testimony, from Wendi Rinehart of Highmore, seemed to get the committee’s attention, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the 2007 farm bill finds a way to disincentivize the conversion of pastureland to cropland.

Meanwhile, it is an election year, and the candidates decided not to let the office-holders have the whole day.

Jack Billion, Democrat running for governor, talks with members of the SD Stockgrowers (known as “hats” in some circles) after the farm bill hearing. (Photo courtesy of Billion campaign)

Jack Billion, left, Democratic candidate for governor, listens to testimony while his runningmate Eric Abrahamson takes notes on his laptop during the hearing of the 2007 federal farm bill. (Steve McEnroe/Journal staff)

GOP US House candidate Bruce Whalen, right, attended, and it was only a little bit uncomfortable when, at the end of the hearing, Herseth introduced both Billion and Whalen — who is her opponent — as candidates for office. (Denise Ross/Mount Blogmore)

By Bill Harlan

Gary Matthews, news/programming director for KBHB Radio sent the picture above of a sign at intersection of Erickson Ranch Road and Lofty Pines Road. That’s on the way to the home of state Wildland Fire Coordinator Joe Lowe, so he’s sure to have seen if. If he’s been home yet! Eastridge was 100 percent contained last night, but a cold front is causing high winds today. That’s risky. The Northern Great Plains Fire Information Center also sent updates on the Nebraska wildfires, which I include verbatim:

Nebraska, Dawes and Sioux Counties

Dawes County Complex (Mullenix Type 2 IMT): This complex contains the Roberts Tract Fire (9,000 acres), Spotted Tail Fire (17,000 acres), and the Deadhorse Fire (300 acres). Evacuations remain in place for the Spotted Tail Fire. The south ends of both the Roberts Tract and Spotted Tail Fires have been difficult to contain due to steep, rugged country. Firefighters and aircraft will continue an intense air and ground assault attack on the fires.

A cold front is expected to pass through the area this morning which could cause extreme fire behavior on the Roberts Tract and Spotted Tail Fires. Containment estimate is 5-10% on the Roberts Tract and Spotted, 80-90% on the Deadhorse Fire.

Additional Evacuations Issued in Dawes County

Chadron, Neb: Effective immediately, the Dawes County Sheriff and the Incident Management Team for the Dawes County Fire Complex have extended the evacuation area south of Chadron to include the following areas:

From Flag Butte Rd., north to Grantham, then west to the intersection with Bethel and Hartman (includes Barber, Indian Creek, the north half of Haynes, and the north half of Lemon), continuing due south past Squaw Creek to the intersection of East Belmont and Squaw Mound, and due east past Hollibaugh to just south of Highland, and then directly north to Flag Butte.

“This evacuation is necessary because between last night and Monday morning the Roberts fire flared up and moved further to the west-southwest,” Incident Commander Marc Mullenix said. “The new evacuation affects approximately 45 to 50 people, and all previous evacuations remain in effect until further notice.”

As with Sunday’s evacuation, the Red Cross will have the Kenwood Elementary School in Chadron open for evacuees.

Sioux County Complex (Oltrogge Type 1 IMT): This complex contains the Thayer Fire (30,000+ acres) and the Rudloff Fire (20,000+ acres). A cold front is expected to pass through the area this morning which could cause extreme fire behavior.

Wildfire Blog reader Candy Erk Manthey of Rapid City submitted the photo above, which is a dramatic portrait of a slurry bomber working the Eastridge Fire. Here are the rest of Candy’s photos, which I think are quite spectacular:

By Bill Harlan

RCJ Wildfire Blog reader Jerry Smalley took this photo on Elk Creek Road this morning. Enough said.

The public meeting will be Monday July 31, 2006, at 7:00 pm at the Black Hawk Ramada Inn at 900 Stage Stop Road, which is on the west side of Interstate 90 Exit 48, across Stage Stop Road from Haggar’s.

The meeting is for all affected residents. (The conference room was donated by the Ramada.)Fire spokesman Beth Hermanson told me residents will be invited to ask questions about how the fire was fought, and there will be information about restoration of fire damage, including programs that might be available through the state.

Meanwhile, there are a few hot spots but nothing major is happening at Eastridge. Clouds have eased temps — from 104.1 down to a 96.6 at my house — with a wind-chill of 95! Some of those clouds look dark, but I’m not even going to write the “L” word. (And I don’t mean the Showtime drama.)

This Jerry Smalley photo taken this morning clearly illustrates how aggressively air tankers were use. The red tinted areas were hit with slurry.

Photo by Jerry Smalley: Uncle Don’s Campground off Elk Creek Road was hard hit by the fire.

Here’s a press release from the office of Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman

Nebraska, Dawes and Sioux Counties: Attention Shifts to Harrison Complex Fires

(Chadron, Neb.) Gov. Dave Heineman returned to northwestern Nebraska this morning to monitor progress as firefighters begin their third day of trying to contain several fires in Nebraska’s Panhandle region.

The Governor is joined today by Col. Bryan Tuma, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP), and met this morning with Marc Mullenix, the federal incident commander and Al Berndt, Assistant Director of the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to assess the situation.

“Last night proved to be a very difficult night but we have seen some progress,” Gov. Heineman said. “The Dawes County complex fires remain a challenge but are better contained this morning. However, winds have stirred up the fires in the Harrison area and our immediate concern is that these fires are spreading quickly.”

The two fires outside the town of Harrison in Sioux County are currently burning out of control. The Rudloff fire is southeast of Harrison and has reached U.S. 20. Officials estimate it has burned 20,000 acres.

Thayer fire is northeast of Harrison and is estimated to have burned 30,000 acres. An interagency Type 1 fire team arrived mid-morning and is transferring to the Harrison complex to help battle flames, and state officials have been on the scene working to determine what state assets can be transferred to the Harrison complex. Both the NEMA and NSP Mobile Command units have been dispatched to Harrison to help provide information to the incident command center established at Chadron State College to manage the Panhandle fires.

Three wild fires continue to burn in the Dawes County area near Chadron.

The largest of the three is the Spotted Tail fire, which has burned 15,700 acres of grassland in an area south and east of Chadron. Firefighters were successful in creating a break west of U.S. 385 and as a result the fire has remained east of the highway. Evacuation orders issued Saturday afternoon remain in effect for residents in nearby subdivisions and Chadron State Park.

The remaining Dawes complex fires burning southwest of Chadron include the Roberts fire that has burned 5,700 acres, and the Deadhorse fire that has burned 300 acres. Officials expect to have the Deadhorse fire contained today.

Extremely hot and dry conditions in the Panhandle are expected to continue presenting challenges as more than 500 firefighters from Nebraska, South Dakota and Colorado, 118 Nebraska National Guard members, and federal fire management teams work to contain the fires. Temperatures are expected to exceed 100 degrees again today with low humidity and shifting winds contributing to a red flag warning throughout the region, making fires more difficult to fight and contain.

The Nebraska Chapter of the American Red Cross and Salvation Army Canteens are working to provide support for firefighters and a federal procurement team has been established in Scottsbluff to support federal firefighting efforts. Chadron State College has opened dorms to shelter and feed firefighters working on the Dawes complex fires.

Gov. Heineman said, “I want to thank everyone at Chadron State College for opening their doors to this massive response effort. Administration and staff here at the college acted quickly to prevent damage when their campus was in danger, and they have continued to work and provide the resources needed to keep these firefighters going.

“I also want to commend the residents in the Chadron area for stepping up to help it this effort. We’ve seen many instances where residents have taken the initiative to create breaks around their homes and land, which has helped prevent the spread of fires and is part of the reason we’ve seen so few losses when it comes to homes and community infrastructure. That level of personal responsibility is a trademark of our state and I cannot emphasize enough how important that sense of determination has been in this effort.”

Most recent estimates indicate that more than 60,000 acres have burned during the last three days.

By Bill Harlan

It’s smoky and 103 degrees at the Black Hawk Media Tower (my home office), but otherwise there’s not much to report. Less news is better today, the way I see it, except for Dawes and Sioux counties in Nebraska. I’m not sure what’s going on there today, except that maybe that’s where a lot of our smoke is coming from . (See the NOAA link in the previous post.)

Here’s an update from the Great Plains Fire Info folks:

Black Hills Fire Update-Morning Report (11 a.m.)

On the East Ridge Fire east of Piedmont:

Size: 3,204 acres
Containment: 80% contained
Estimated Containment: Sunday, July 30 at 6 p.m. (1800 MST)
Current Status: Crews will be mopping up hot spots 100 feet in from the fire perimeter and around homes. Helicopters will be working hotspots with bucket drops. Smoke on the fire will increase as the temperatures climb into the 100’s. A red flag warning is still in effect for the area.
Evacuations: All of the evacuation orders are lifted for the neighborhoods and road closures affected by the East Ridge Fire. However, only local residents will be allowed into the neighborhoods. We are advising that residents DO NOT return their evacuated livestock at this time.

Also VERY important:

Residents who live in the following areas should be prepared to quickly evacuate if conditions deteriorate:
Crooked Oaks Road to include Lofty Pines Road.
-Ebony Place, Stone Tree, and Amber Lane.
-Foothills Road EAST from the intersection of Crooked Canyon
-Ridgeview Trail SOUTH of Canyon Trail to include Meadow Retreat Road

Residents should be advised that firefighting vehicles and equipment will remain on the roads to monitor the fire and continue fire suppression efforts. Residents can expect to see more smoke for several days that could at times become heavy from fires in Wyoming, Nebraska, and the Black Hills.

And elsewhere in the Black Hills, including the national forest:

New fire restrictions will be in effect starting on Monday, July 31, 2006. On all public lands in the Black Hills, building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, or a coal or wood stove fire is prohibited, even in developed campgrounds.

Petroleum fueled stoves, lanterns, or heating devices may be used, provided such devices meet the fire underwriters’ specifications for safety.

Charcoal grills may be used within designated picnic areas or campgrounds within the Black Hills National Forest.

Smoking is prohibited except in enclosed vehicles at Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Smoking elsewhere is prohibited except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.

Internal or external combustion engines including ATVs and motorcycles must have approved spark arrestors.

Welding, or operating an acetylene or other torch with open flame is prohibited.

Exemptions to these restrictions include persons with a permit issued after the date of the restrictions specifically authorizing the prohibited act or omission. The new restrictions will remain in force until rescinded.

And in those other Black Hills fires:

The Idol Complex consisting of 4 separate fires is currently being managed by the local Type 3 fire management team. The largest of the fires is the Idol Fire at approximately 32 acres. It is located north of Cement Ridge and south of Sand Creek Crossing in Wyoming on the Bear Lodge Ranger District. This fire was contained at 6:00 pm on July 29, 2006. Expected control is July 31, 2006 at 6:00 pm. The crews made good progress and the containment lines held throughout the night.

The Tinton Road fire is still reported at 5 acres and was contained at 8:00pm on July 27, 2006. It was controlled at 7:00 pm on July 28, 2006. One crew will remain to monitor the fire. Two smaller fires were held to .1 acre and are out. Total personnel on the Idol Complex are 70.

A red flag warning will be in effect through Sunday evening due to high temperatures, low humidity, and gusty winds.

Big Hill Trailhead is being used as a helicopter base and the hiking trails will be temporarily closed to the public.

And elsewhere in the state:

The Amick Fire is 11 miles northeast of White Lake, SD and 95 percent contained. The fire is approximately 700 acres and the ground fire is out, however hay bales are smoldering in the area and crews are monitoring with patrols.

And don’t forget InciWeb.org.

By Bill Harlan

Some of you asked where the smoke is coming from tonight. Check out this NOAA site.

Plus, here’s a warning from Great Plains Type 2 folks:

Residents who live in the following areas should be prepared to quickly evacuate if conditions deteriorate:

Crooked Oaks Road to include Lofty Pines Road, Ebony Place, Stone Tree, and Amber Lane
Foothills Road EAST from the intersection of Crooked Canyon
Ridgeview Trail SOUTH of Canyon Trail to include Meadow Retreat Road

By Bill Harlan

I took this at about 8 p.m. last night on Meadow Retreat Drive

Unless something blows up, this will be my final update on the Eastridge Fire, but be sure and check out Dan Daly’s stories in tomorrow’s RCJ — on both Eastridge and the Chadron, Neb., fires. You can also check InciWeb.org.

The lastest press release from the Northern Great Plains Fire Information Center:

Fire Restrictions Announced in Black Hills

Rapid City, SD – Federal and State agencies are announcing new fire restrictions for the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming. The new restrictions are effective at Midnight on Sunday, July 31, 2006, and will remain in force until rescinded.

County restrictions are in place or planned.

Officials from the Black Hills National Forest, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Wind Cave National Park, Devils Tower National Monument, Jewel Cave National Monument, and Custer State Park are responding to record breaking high temperatures and increasing fire activity throughout the Black Hills and surrounding region.

“We have to do what we can to stop human caused fires,” said Craig Bobzien, a spokesman for the group. Predicted dry lightning and continuing difficult conditions have added to the urgency of the situation, he said.

On all public lands in the Black Hills, building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, or a coal or wood stove fire is prohibited, even in developed campgrounds.

Petroleum fueled stoves, lanterns, or heating devices may be used, provided such devices meet the fire underwriters’ specifications for safety.

Charcoal grills may be used within designated picnic areas or campgrounds within the Black Hills National Forest.

Smoking is prohibited except in enclosed vehicles at Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Smoking elsewhere is prohibited except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.

Internal or external combustion engines including ATVs and motorcycles must have approved spark arrestors.

Welding, or operating an acetylene or other torch with open flame is prohibited.

Exemptions to these restrictions include persons with a permit issued after the date of the restrictions specifically authorizing the prohibited act or omission. The new restrictions will remain in force until rescinded.

The fire-haze sunset on Elk Creek Road last night. I wasn’t going to take this photo, but fire information officer Rebecca “Smokey” Barnard stopped the truck to take her own picture. So what the heck, one more fire sunset.

By Bill Harlan

Jolene and Fred Hagman stand near their house that was destroyed by a wildfire in the Hidden Valley section of Chadron, Neb., Saturday, July 29, 2006. They tried to save the house, which they have lived in for 18 years, by spraying down the deck and roof. At least six wildfires have been burning out of control destroying parts of Chadron and causing evacuation Friday night of the east end. (AP Photo/Phil Johnson, Pool)

Heather Crofutt, Chadron Record (I think this was taken early in the fires)

Con Marshall from Chadron State College has sent us a detailed update. He’s not a reporter, per se, but his accuracy comes with high recommendations from RCJ staffers who know him. (See this morning’s post). RCJ reporter Dan Daly is working on a story for tomorrow’s paper, too. Meanwhile, here’s Con’s report:

All available resources are being used to fight the
devastating fires in northwest Nebraska, but more may be needed, officials
said Saturday during a news conference in Chadron.

Gov. Dave Heineman said fighting the fires in Dawes and Sioux
Counties is the No. 1 priority in the federal fire control system.

The deputy director of the Nebraska Emergency Management
Agency, Al Berndt, said that state has committed every available resource
to fighting the fires and there has been outstanding cooperation between
the state, federal and local agencies. He added that contingency plans are
being made to obtain more help.

Between 500 and 600 fire fighters were expected to be involved
by late Saturday along with three federal aircraft and two state airplanes,
Heineman said.

Firemen from more than 50 volunteer fire departments along with
National Guards members and personnel from the Pine Ridge Job Corps Center
south of Chadron were among those battling the blazes, it was reported.

Berndt called the northwest Nebraska fires “50 times larger in
scope” than the recent fire near Valentine that burned 3,100 acres and four
homes.

“The intensity of the fires here is not any greater, but these
are much larger in scope,” said Berndt. “We were lucky that the Valentine
Fire Department was able to stop that fire before it burned into the town.
It was a very sobering situation. It’s also sobering when you see a fire
move as fast as the fire that threatened Chadron yesterday.”

Berndt added that while there has been good progress made in
containing the fires, they are not under control and the end is not in
sight. Temperatures of more than 100 degrees and winds have made fighting
the fires extremely difficult.

Lightning strikes through the area Tuesday night sparked the
fires.

Much of the effort Friday night was devoted to stopping the
Spotted Tail Fire that flared up south of Chadron about 4 p.m. Friday
before it reached Chadron State College, located on the south side of
Chadron. The fire traveled about 10 miles through rugged pine-covered hills
in about 4 ½ hours.

Delbert Hussey, who helped move a herd of cattle to safety
from a pasture that was in the path of the fire Friday afternoon, said the
blaze swept across the section of land in about 15 minutes.

“I wouldn’t have given you a nickel for that herd, but somehow
they made it out,” he said.

Pat Gould of Chadron, a state fire marshal, said three fires
in the Spotted Tail area had appeared to be extinguished Wednesday.

“They were cold when we left them” said Gould. “But Friday
afternoon they took off.”

He said crews had continued to monitor the locations, but the
fire still broke out again.

“We had the worst conditions possible,” said Gould. “Low
humidity, high temperatures and high winds. The fire got big enough that it
created its own wind. Mother Nature was against us. We did all we could. I
commend the fire fighters. They did a great job.”

Many of the firemen have had only a few hours sleep since
Wednesday, Gould said.

When the town was threatened, nearly all the resources,
including Nebraska National Guard helicopters that had been dumping water
on the Roberts Tract fire to the southwest of Chadron, were devoted to
stopping the Spotted Tail Fire it before it reached the college and other
southern portions of Chadron.

Chadron Mayor John Gamby also praised the firemen. He said
they “gave 150 percent effort to stop the fire before it damaged the college.”

Gamby added that all the firemen he observed “worked as if
they were trying to save their own hometowns. We appreciate their efforts.”

Gould said trucks and firemen from Chadron, Rushville and
Hemingford were stationed behind the college to directly confront the fire
as it roared over the hills from the south.

At least three homes located behind C Hill in the Hidden
Valley area south of the college were destroyed, according to neighbors who
had visited with the homeowners. However, a dozen or so more homes in the
same areas were spared.

Berndt said a disaster was averted shortly after midnight
Friday when the fire threatened to jump Highway 20 east of Chadron and burn
tinder-dry grassland to the north.

Saturday afternoon, fires to the southwest of Chadron flared
up, causing the evacuation of Chadron State and three rather heavily
populated subdivisions­-Park View, Whispering Pines and Berryville­-near
the park.

The fires southwest of Chadron had been the hotspots in Dawes
County before the Spotted Tail Fire broke out and raced toward Chadron.

Berndt said late Saturday morning that the Roberts Tract fire,
located mostly on federal land, had burned more than 2,000 acres and the
fire along Deadhorse Road had burned about 300 acres. He added that the
fires were merging.

Members of the Nebraska National Guard ready to help fight nearby wildfires, Saturday, July 29, 2006, in Chadron, Neb. At least six wildfires have been burning out of control destroying parts of Chadron and causing evacuation Friday night of the east end. (AP Photo/Phil Johnson, Pool)

By Bill Harlan

Just got the word at 5 p.m. that evacs are listed. But still no word on the locations of the homes that were lost.

And here’s the latest from the Great Plains Type II Incident Management Team as of 4:30 p.m. MSTJuly 29, 2006:

Size: approximately 3,000 acres

Containment: 80%

Estimated Containment: Sunday, July 30 at 6 p.m. (1800 MST)

Resources on the Fire: 366 fire personnel

Structures: Firefighters saved 500 homes in the Piedmont area. It was a hard fight with extremely dangerous firefighting conditions. Unfortunately seven homes were lost.

By Bill Harlan

No word on locations yet, but if your home was lost, you’ve been notified.

That’s a tough loss, but as fire spokesman Fran Carroll told me a couple of minutes ago, “Seven homes lost, 500 saved.”

More soon, as we get details….

By Kevin Woster

(Democrats give a group hug to a bronze Thomas Jefferson this morning in downtown Rapid City. From left are legislative candidates Dennis Finch, Theresa Spry, Justin Lena, Suzan Nolan, Pam Hemmingsen and Tom Katus, lieutenant governor candidate Eric Abrahamson and legislative candidates Jerry Bloomer and Catherine Ratliff)

Pennington County Democrats got a bit of a history lesson as well as a political pep talk this morning from Eric Abrahamson.

(Lieutenant governor candidate Eric Abrahamson talks about the Jeffersonian legacy with Democratic legislative candidates from the area.)

The Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor is a professional historian with an understandable affinity for Thomas Jefferson, father of the Democratic Party.

So it was appropriate that Abrahamson spoke of both the father and political ancestry at the corner of 7th and St. Joe in downtown Rapid City, where Jefferson stands in permanent bronze.

Jefferson believed in the value of government, but lightly applied - and especially in the areas of personal beliefs - Abrahmson said.

“Jefferson believed that the government should not intervene in matters of faith and conscience,” he said.

After the brief speech and a photo session, Democratic legislative candidates took off across their respective legislative districts to knock on doors and meet voters.

The day was part of the party’s statewide 100 days (until the general election), 100 doors campaign. The goal for the day was for individual candidates to knock on 100 doors or make 100 phone calls to voters, or a combination of both.

(Suzan Nolan, Tom Katus and Pam Hemmingsen pose for a snapshot before heading out to knock on doors)

District 32 candidates Pam Hemmingsen and Suzan Nolan (House) and Tom Katus (Senate) have already combined to knock on more than 800 doors. Each candidate carries literature from the others to spread the word.

Or, more often, to listen to the word.

(St. Anne St. resident Owen Fenhaus provides some voter contact to the door-knocking crew of Hemmingsen, Katus and Nolan)

“I try for 20 voter contacts a day,” Hemmingsen said. “I do more listening than I do talking.”

And while issues are important, Nolan said character seems to count more.

“A lot of them don’t care what my stands are,” she said. “They want to know if I’m a nice person.”

Overall give and take with voters is the objective of all that neighborhood shoe leather, Katus said.

“That one-on-one contact with voters is critical to any election,” he said.

It was a busy day, the 100-100 deal. The good news was that by mid-afternoon at least, the temperature hadn’t matched it.

(Reed Abrahamson records his dad’s words of wisdom)

By Kevin Woster

Jack Billion brought an interesting issue into the governor’s race this week: cash relief for farmers and ranchers hurt by the drought.

It’s a sexy political notion. Who can argue with helping farmers and ranchers with direct cash payments during a drought like this?

Well, plenty of folks, of course, including Gov. Mike Rounds. The governor is for helping, obviously, but probably not through direct cash payments from the state - a notion that could take tens of millions of dollars, or more, out of a relatively limited state bank account.

Rounds figures the duty of bringing real financial assistance to drought-punished farmers belongs to the deep-pockets federal government. Uncle Sam should help farmers battered by drought just as it would if they were wiped out by a hurricane, Rounds said.

So far, that idea hasn’t caught on in the White House or the Republican controlled Congress, who have been willing to throw lots of money at disasters, just not those invoving parched pastures and dried-up stock dams on the northern plains.

The White House has helped some, with things like the Livestock Compensation Program, hatched late in the 2002 election year at least in part to help John Thune in his race against Tim Johnson. But big-time drought aid? Not so far.

Rounds has done what he could to help farmers and ranchers, without stepping into the risky and potentially expensive area of direct state assistance. He and many state legislators fear that would break the bank.

In suggesting the use of up to $40 million in state financial reserves for a fund to pay part of the property tax bill for farmers and ranchers hardest hit by drought, Billion opened a whole new area of debate in the governor’s campaign.

He then amended it, in a vague sort of way, to include some assistance to certain businesses hurt by the drought as well. That was in response to criticisms that just targeting farmers and ranchers would be unfair.

It’s an unfinished notion at best, likley to draw legitimate fire for its cost and potential impact on state reserves. But it’s also a new area of debate.

And new areas of debate are good for campaigns. They’re not bad for reporters, either.

By Bill Harlan

The way I read this, everybody who was evacuated can return home, EXCEPT those areas listed on the press release from the Great Plains Incident Management Team. Here it is:

Some Evacuated Residents Can Return to Their Homes

At 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 29, many of the evacuation orders are lifted for the neighborhoods and roadways affected by the East Ridge Fire. Only local residents will be allowed into the neighborhoods. We are advising that residents DO NOT return their evacuated livestock at this time.

The following roads are still CLOSED and all residents in these areas are still under an evacuation:

· Crooked Oaks Road to include Lofty Pines Road, Ebony Place, Stone Tree, and Amber Lane
· Foothills Road EAST from the intersection of Crooked Canyon
· Ridgeview Trail SOUTH of Canyon Trail to include Meadow Retreat Road

The areas that remain under evacuation are unsafe due to the fire fighting activity in these areas. Residents should be advised that fire fighting vehicles and equipment will remain on the roads to monitor the fire and continue fire suppression efforts. Residents can expect to see more smoke for several days that could at times become heavy. If residents are unclear about whether or not they can return home, they should call the East Ridge Fire Information Line at (605) 787-7485 for clarification.

Here’s a map, edited by me, which means it is NOT official and will not stand up in a court of law. I read the press release and marked the continuing closures, by my best estimate, in thick red marker. (The thinner red line at the north of the fire is yesterday’s fire line.)

Click on the map a couple times to make it bigger. And again, DO NOT hand this map to a state trooper as proof that a road really is open. (And if you do, keep my name out of it.)

By Bill Harlan

Fire information officer Beth Hermanson told me minutes ago that people whose homes had been confirmed lost already have been notified. The final tally will be 5 to 10 lost or damaged, she said, which is worse than we’d thought last night. There could be a couple more notifications today, but Beth said final numbers will be available by mid-afternoon. If YOUR home was lost, you have likely been notified already.

On the good-news side of the ledger, in 90 minutes or so some of the evacuations will be lifted and some of the closed roads will be opened. I’ll have the details here as soon as I get them.

Eastridge could rank as the most destructive in the Black Hills, in terms of homes lost, since Westberry Trails in 1988. That sad note fits with this evocative photo from Jon Wells of Rapid City:

“Thursday night at approx. 8:30 p.m. from Skyline Dr. in Rapid City.”

And this ominous photo, below, from Heather Harmon also captures the sense of threat:

Taken from Patriot Homes, near I-90.

By Bill Harlan

Jerry Smalley, who works at Northwest Peterbuilt at the Stagebarn Exit on I-90, sent a lot of photos, and they’re all pretty interesting.We might have to put him on full-time. Here’s a sampler:

“Taken from the church parking lot at Stagebarn exit between 7:07 and 7:16 pm (Thursday)”

“Taken from along Elk Creek Road between 6:44 & 6:55 pm 7-27-226.”

“Taken from the parking lot at NW Peterbilt about 6:30 pm 7-27-2006.”

Jim (and Deb) Holland
RCJ Staffers*

I’ll soon relay a couple more photos from Chadron. CSC Director of Information Con Marshall is just amazing. He and his wife Peg were evacuated. They spent the night on a pew at the Catholic Church. He was up at 5 a.m. and went back to his office at CSC, apparently talked his way through any roadblocks. Con could do that. Here they are:

(DOWNLOADING GLITCH. STAY TUNED. TEXT TOO TIMELY TO DELAY. BH)***

His new photos are looking south-southeast. One showing the smoke plume with the Lindeken Clock Tower and CSC Student Center in the foreground and another similar shot a little further east with the National Guard Armory (1037th Trucking Co.) in front.

And he also said the wood chip pile for the heating system went up and is still smoldering. He named some people who lost homes, but we better wait until we get more confirm on that, although I’d have no reason to doubt Con.

Con Marshall also said the Thayer Fire north of Harrison, Neb, (50 miles west of Chadron on Highway 20) is probably significant. Not much info on that because the Strong Canyon and Roberts fires near Chadron are getting a lot of attention. Con said it’s significant because 10 ranches had apparently been evacuated, and 10 ranches in that country is LOTS of territory. Your next-door neighbor is a half-hour drive away.

And from the Scottsbluff Star-Herald: there is a smaller fire southwest of Crawford called the Rudloff Fire. All I have at this point. Deb and I will be in and out today, but we’ll try to get what we can.

*The Hollands — Rapid City’s journalism power couple — used to live in Chadron. Good contacts. Local knowledge.

***Technical difficulties more serious than first thought. You can get more updates from KSCR. Neb. Gov. Dave Heineman has arrived in Chadron to assess the fire situation. See also this link.

By Bill Harlan

Wildfire Blog reader Jerry Smalley of Rapid City took this photo about 6:45 p.m. Thursday, from Elk Creek Road. The fire is much calmer now.

Nothing big happened overnight, but the containment is now officially 20 percent. (I reported 10 percent in my story in this morning’s papter.)

Couple of housekeeping tips:

I should have noted earlier that comments sometimes take awhile to get posted because we have to read and approve them first. (Obscenity, libel, spam etc.) Three of us share this duty, but sometimes we get caught up in extraneous things — likely making the regular newspaper. (That’s why there has been a delay in posting some reader photos.)

Second, many thanks for your kind words about the blog. Much appreciated. Also, your questions and criticisms have helped shape our coverage. We haven’t always replied or otherwise responded (in an obvious way),but we discuss your input throughout the news day. It makes a difference.

Back to the news, you can see some fire video at InciWeb.org. Gary Chancey of the Black Hills National Forest shot it. Gary’s a great shooter — still and video — with a good instinct for images. And you also can get national fire updates at InciWeb.

Here are some stats from the Northern Great Plains Fire Information Center in Rapid City:

Resources on the Fire:
Helicopers: 4 Heavy Heli-tankers and 1 Type III Helicopter
Crews: 2 Type 1 Handcrew and 1 Type II Handcrew
Engines: 24
Dozer: 1 State Dozer
Watertenders: 5 Tenders
Misc. Overhead: 75

And finally, a note from MY very own U.S. mail guy, Russ Bakken:

There will be no mail delivery in areas designated for mandatory evacuation in Black Hawk. You may pick up your mail at the Black Hawk Post Office. Office hours are M-F 7:30-4:00 and 9:30-10:30 on Saturday. We will continue to deliver to areas in alert status. We will resume normal service when the evacuation order is lifted. If you do not return to your home after that, you may put your mail on hold at our web site, usps.com or fill out a hold order at any Post Office.

And finally, don’t forget to click on the RCJ homepage for fire stories in today’s newspaper — especially Andrea Cook’s “Evacuees get little warning.” A cautionary tale.

By RCJ staffer Deb Holland

Con Marshall/Chadron State College Information: This photo was taken about 8:30 p.m. Friday night as the “Strong Canyon” fire came over the hill from the south of Chadron State College. The
11-story High Rise residence hall forms the sillhouette in the foreground. The fire was stopped before it did any damage at the college, but several homes to the south of the college were destroyed.

Strong Canyon Fire near Chadron, Neb.

After a tense night of fire activity, Chadron, Neb. residents were allowed to return home Saturday morning. Mayor John Gamby told local radio station KCSR that: “It’s been quite a night. But everyone in town can come back to their homes.”

About 1,500 residents were evacuated Friday night when the Strong Canyon Fire kicked up and spread. It started near the city dams about 3 miles south of town on Nebraska National Forest land. By about 8:30 p.m. Friday the fire had burned to the south edge of the Chadron State College campus near the Eagles football field. Power to areas of town were out for a time overnight.

Mayor Gamby did say areas south of town looked rough. Fire officials said some homes had been lost in the Hidden Valley area southeast of the Chadron city limits. With another hot, windy day on tap, fire officials were expecting extreme fire behavior throughout the day Saturday. Highs could reach 108. “It’s not going to take very long to move a long way,” one fire official said during a morning briefing from Chadron State College carried live on KCSR. Another fire official told teams working the fire to have patience fighting the fire Saturday. “The environment is very explosive,” he said.

Eddie Buettner of Hay Springs rests on his bull dozer while digging fire lines on Friday.

By Bill Harlan

Some faithful Blogmorites might be tempted to think the Gods of Blogmore, like Monty Python’s parrot, are, in fact, gone to their greater reward or met their maker or simply ARE no more.

We’re not dead. We’re just working the Eastridge Fire. Denise is editing. Kevin and I are writing. (Click on the RCJ Wildfire Blog.) So this is as close as I can come to political tonight:

Gov. Mike Rounds, left, with state Wildland Fire Coordinator Joe Lowe and Public Safety Secretary Tom Dravland at the Eastridge Fire ICP at Stagebarn Elementary School south of Piedmont.

Kevin W. will have a story in tomorrow’s RCJ — available online at midnight or so — about the state’s response to the wildfire. Spending for such emergencies IS a legitimate political issue, though I don’t think you’d get far here on the “Let them use garden hoses!” platform. Bill Janklow, as governor, was responsible for major changes for the better in the way the state fights wildfires. But many firefighters thought he micromanaged to a dangerous level. Rounds’ style is different on a wildfire, but he’s also made some significant changes. (See the story.)

Anyway, I’m sure we’ll be thinking about real politics — you know, abortion, gay marriage and such — when the fire cools down.

By Bill Harlan

Courtesy of the South Dakota Division of Wildland Fire Suppression

I had a little glitch with the reproduction. If you click on the map to enlarge it, a couple times, it reads pretty well. Or, even better, buy a paper tomorrow!