VIDEO: Some families in the Sturgis area will sleep a lot better tonight โ knowing that a hillside fire is no longer a threat. This is what it looked like around 9:45 Sunday night, when Heidi Gebbi started getting nervous.
โYouโre looking at it and itโs really close. I mean it was a little overwhelming even though it was still farther enough away, our life wasnโt in danger at that very moment but itโs a little overwhelming and scary to think within just a second and a wind breeze, an ember, it could be all gone,โ Sturgis local Heidi Gebbie said.
Fire crews from the area worked together to battle the fire and the conditions. โHigh wind came through about that time just before we got called out to the fire. So on our way up to the fire it was blowing leaves and ash and stuff down into the canyon on the road because it was starting to crest over the top of the hill,โ Sturgis Fire Chief Scott Lensegrav said.
โI canโt imagine, that hill is so steep. I mean it is not easy. I canโt imagine trying to, at night, in the dark, and the wind was really bad with fire coming at you to try and climb that on a volunteer basis. So we owe them a lot,โ Gebbie said.
The Sturgis Fire Department was aided by first responders from Deadwood, Vale, Whitewood and Spearfish. โWe had structure protection for the houses that were below where the fire was cresting the hill and we had everything covered. We went out and got a good wet laying around it, the state showed up and helped us finish it up. Fire went well from when I first showed up it was ripping up the hill until when it ended we had a good knock down on it very quick,โ Lensegrav said.
They not only stopped the fire, they put neighbors back at ease. Officials were able to get the fire 100% contained, however the investigation on what started the fire continues.
