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Jasper Fire at Jewel Cave National Monument, August 2000

The Jasper fire started outside Jewel Cave National Monument on August 24, 2000 by a cigarette butt dropped on the forest floor. The fire spread rapidly, consuming 3,655 acres in the first three and a half hours. Strong winds, 7% relative humidity, dry fuels, and a history of fire suppression in the Black Hills were the ideal combination that created this intensely hot, fast-moving, wildfire. On the second day, it entered Jewel Cave National Monument. The park?s visitor center, park offices, housing areas, and historical structures were in its path. The fire burned into the prescribed fire and mechanically treated areas and quickly died down. Once burning through these areas at a less intense rate, with flame lengths as small as four inches, the fire continued burning through untreated areas and gained momentum once again. Those areas that were not previously treated experienced intense tree mortality from crowning and torching. Yet, the previously treated areas received very little mortality and look healthy today. Park managers and fire management staff worked together to create an environment that could withstand a large wildland fire while also accomplishing resource objectives.

Visitor's Center with fire and smoke behind it

National Park Service

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Wildfires, (LCSH)
, Forest fires, (LCSH)
, Fire extinction, ()
, Fire management, ()

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Jewel Cave National Monument, Code: JECA
Fire and Aviation Management Program, Code: FIRE

Jewel Caves National Monument, Jewel Cave National Monument, Custer County, South Dakota
Latitude: 43.7309989929199, Longitude: -103.830001831055

Legacy NPS Focus Record ID : 231024

NPS Fire and Aviation Digital Collection

07/09/2003

08/24/2003 - 09/07/2003

Digital image (JPG ; 38.1 KB ; 480 x 640 ; 150 dpi; 24 bit color). Encoded as MrSID format

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Wednesday, September 29, 2004 6:25:51 PM

Thursday, August 10, 2017 6:04:29 AM

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