A debris pile is thought to be the origin of the Schroeder Fire that burned 2,224 acres west of Rapid City in late March, according to a release from the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.
The investigation by South Dakota Wildland Fire and the Pennington County Sheriff's Office indicated that an escape from a debris/slash pile "cannot be eliminated as the cause of the blaze that started March 29,” the release from department spokesman Tony Mangan said.
The fire started at a property located at 8875 Schroeder Road, Mangan stated. The owner of the property had a valid burn permit, the release stated.