Fire Prevention & Services
Fire Bans & Burning Restrictions
Before you light any fire, check for weather alerts and burn bans. The rules are different inside Custer city limits and in the rest of Custer County. This is a summary only, so always check the official regulations and current alerts linked below.
INSIDE CUSTER CITY LIMITS
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Burn permit required for any open burning. Call Fire Chief Matt Spring at (605) 440-1293.
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No permit needed for recreational fires in approved outdoor fireplaces, fire pots, chimineas and charcoal grills.
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All burning is banned, including recreational fires, when the National Weather Service issues a Red Flag Warning, a Fire Weather Watch or Warning, or a Wind Watch or Warning, when fire danger is Extreme for the southern Black Hills, or when the City or Fire Department declares conditions unsafe.
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County burn bans apply in town. When Custer County declares a burn ban, it is also in effect inside city limits.
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Never burn garbage, plastics, cardboard, treated wood, construction debris or anything that gives off toxic smoke.
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Violations are a Class 2 misdemeanor, and you can be held liable for damages and firefighting costs.
REST OF CUSTER COUNTY
Applies to state and private land in the Black Hills Fire Protection District, outside city and town limits. Federal land follows Black Hills National Forest rules.
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Permit required for campfires, burn barrels and slash piles, issued by SD Wildland Fire (1-800-275-4955).
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No campfires, burn barrels or slash piles during a High Wind Watch or Warning, Fire Weather Watch or Red Flag Warning.
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During a county-wide burn ban, only gas grills and gas fireplaces are allowed. Charcoal grills are not.
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Broadcast burning is not allowed.
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Slash pile season runs Nov 1 to Mar 31 and needs continuous snow cover: 2 inches for piles up to 6 x 6 ft, 6 inches for larger piles.
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Burn barrels need a metal grate cover and a 15-ft clear zone.
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Violations can bring a fine of up to $500, up to 30 days in jail, or both, plus firefighting costs.
CHECK BEFORE YOU BURN
Burning Permits
Burning slash or brush piles? Follow these three steps every time you burn.
Fireworks Laws
Fireworks are illegal year-round in Custer and across the Black Hills.
INSIDE CUSTER CITY LIMITS
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No fireworks of any kind. It is illegal to buy, sell, give away, possess, transport, use or set off fireworks in the city.
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Public displays by an organization are allowed only with a written permit from the City Council. The application must list the group, purpose, location, date and who will supervise.
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Exceptions: railroad and transportation flares and signals, blank cartridges for ceremonies, sports or theater, and out-of-state shipments by manufacturers and distributors.
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Penalty: Class 2 misdemeanor, up to 30 days in jail, a $500 fine, or both.
REST OF THE BLACK HILLS
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No sale or use, all year, anywhere in the Black Hills Forest Fire Protection District (roughly the Black Hills inside I-90, Highway 79 and the Cheyenne River) or within 300 feet of its edge.
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Also banned in national forests, national parks like Wind Cave, state forests, and Game, Fish & Parks land like Custer State Park, unless GF&P gives written permission.
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Towns are not part of the district and set their own rules, like Custer's city ordinance.
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Penalty: Class 2 misdemeanor, up to 30 days in jail, a $500 fine, or both. A second offense is a Class 1 misdemeanor, up to 1 year in jail, a $2,000 fine, or both.
Elsewhere in South Dakota, consumer fireworks may only be used June 27 through the first Sunday after July 4, and Dec. 28 through Jan. 1. Counties and towns can add their own limits.
Fire Hydrant Snow Removal
Have a hydrant near your home or business? Help us reach it fast in winter:
1. CLEAR THE HYDRANT
Remove all snow and debris covering the hydrant itself so it is easy to see and use.
2. GIVE IT 3 FEET
A 3-foot clear area lets us connect hoses and open the hydrant, and gives our hoses room to fill without kinking, which can greatly cut water supply.
3. SHOVEL A PATH
Keep a shoveled path from the street, sidewalk or driveway to the hydrant so it is visible from the road and firefighters can reach it easily.