Thursday Fire SE Of Chadron Limited To 1.4 Acres; Auburn Fire Near Rapid City 70% Contained

      Quick action by U-S Forest Service crews held a wildfire about 5 miles southeast of Chadron yesterday afternoon to just 1.4-acres.

        The Cogdill Fire was reported at 12:34. Fire officials say the cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

      Meanwhile, the Auburn Fire, burning northwest of Rapid City since Monday afternoon, is now listed at 70% contained with more accurate mapping putting its size at just over 968 acres.

     Lines have ringed the fire since Tuesday, but still aren’t wide enough in some areas to meet containment standards. Most of the work done by firefighters the past two days has been to strengthen those lines through mop-up and burnouts.

     Some rehab work has already begun under a plan that includes restoring and seeding dozer lines, fixing fences cut during firefighting operations, and repairing roads and trails damaged by firefighting equipment.

      Weather forecasts suggest firefighters will be getting some help from Mother Nature with cooler temperatures, lighter winds, and an increasing chance of rain tonight into tomorrow.

       The Auburn Fire has been declared accidental, caused by an unspecified mechanical malfunction in a piece of earthmoving equipment that had been parked in a field and not used for some time.