Fire crews continue to battle the Qury Fire southeast of Custer, which has now grown to roughly 9,000 acres. About 350 firefighters from local, state, and out‑of‑state agencies are on the lines, working through rapidly changing weather.
Incident Commander Todd Hoover says conditions have swung back and forth — warm for several days, then cold again — creating what he called a “whip‑saw” effect. A cooldown over the weekend allowed crews to shift tactics and begin establishing containment.
The fire is now 27 percent contained, according to the U.S. Forest Service and South Dakota Wildland Fire. Officials say containment lines held strong Wednesday despite warmer temperatures and increased winds.
