Xu Hill Fire (SD)

Active · 10% contained · 2,500 acres · started 2026-08-11 · updated 2026-08-12

Satellite image: NASA MODIS (infrared — active fire in orange/red, from yesterday).

Heat detections: NASA FIRMS (last 48h).

Quick facts

Location: 12 Miles N from White River Ranger Station, SD
Personnel: 24
Complexity: Type 3 Incident
Fuel: Tall Grass (2.5 feet)
Behavior: Active, Running, Flanking
Jurisdiction: BIA · Federal land

Spreading across 2,500 acres of federal land in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota, the active Xu Hill Fire is currently 10 percent contained as firefighters work to establish control lines. Burning in 2.5-foot tall grass, the fire is exhibiting active, running, and flanking behavior near Rockyford, located 12 miles north of the White River Ranger Station.

A Type 3 Incident management team consisting of 24 personnel has been deployed under the Bureau of Indian Affairs to combat the blaze, which has already accumulated $200,000 in costs since it started on August 11, 2026.

This incident occurs during the region's typical fire season, which runs from June to October. Nationally, the broader context shows that 2,866,952 hectares have burned across the country so far in 2026, tracking 48 percent below the two-decade average.

In context

This wildfire has been burning in South Dakota for 1 day. So far it has affected roughly 2,500 acres — about 10 km². Crews have contained 10% of the perimeter, but most of the fire line is still open.

In the Northern Hemisphere, wildfire activity usually peaks during the warm, dry months — roughly May through October.