RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) - A local fire official whose department responded to a fire that swept through a Lakota-led camp for the homeless near Rapid City says the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs should have taken responsibility for the blaze.
Tuesday’s fire at Camp Mniluzahan destroyed or damaged at least ten tents and burned less than a half acre of grass. The camp is on land held in trust by the Oglala, Rosebud and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes.
Pennington County Fire Service administrator Jerome Harvey said that makes it the responsibility of Wildland Fire Management at the BIA.
“We’re not going to let the fire get away, but the BIA is the responsible party,” Harvey said Wednesday. “You’ve got to attack the fire, you don’t have time to play politics,” but “the bottom line is it’s BIA responsibility and how they’re going to handle it in the future is up to them.”
Harvey tells the Rapid City Journal he’s reached out to the BIA to address the issue.
Harvey said he doesn’t know how the fire began but that it’s something the BIA should be investigating.
The Pennington County Fire Service said Tuesday’s high winds elevated the fire danger and triggered a burning ban.
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