Temps in the 70s coupled with gusty winds and dry grass assisted last year's fire.  Monica Colby with the Rapid City Fire Department says a person using machinery caused the blaze and it could have easily been prevented.  Colby says, "The conditions were really bad for any of that work and it moved quickly. We saw several other fires in the week following that were exactly the same. Normal conditions would've been fine doing that kind of work, but in that condition with it hot and dry, it was just too dangerous."   

Darren Leeds