RAPID CITY, S.D. – An open burning prohibition has been enacted for Pennington County, South Dakota, today, September 26, 2025, as the National Weather Service Grassland Fire Danger Index is rated as Very High.
The ban prohibits open burning, including burn piles, slash, fires not enclosed, and fires without a chimney or duct stack in the areas of Pennington County outside of the Black Hills Forest Fire Protection District and municipalities like Rapid City.
The restriction is mandated under Pennington County Board of Commissioners Ordinance # 726. Approved on May 18, 2021, and effective June 3, 2021, the ordinance allows the county to automatically prohibit open burning, including the use of burn barrels, when the National Weather Service Grassland Fire Danger Index reaches the Very High or Extreme categories in Pennington County.
With a Very High rating, fires will start easily and have the potential to spread rapidly, posing a significant threat to life and property in the Rapid City and greater Black Hills region of South Dakota.
Violators of the open burning prohibition face a penalty of a $500 fine or 30 days in jail, or both. Residents are urged to use extreme caution to prevent wildfires, under the advisement of “#onelessspark.”
The prohibition remains in effect until the National Weather Service Grassland Fire Danger Index drops below the Very High category for Pennington County. The index is monitored daily by county and fire officials.