The fall of 2017 was a very dry period with little or no rain. This was the perfect setup for fire and renewal that became known as the Legion Lake fire. In September, reportedly, a tree/limb fell on the power lines near Legion Lake and the forest in that region began to burn. This would end up as a 50,000+ acre fire. The fire extended south to Wind Cave NP and easterly nearly to Hwy 79. This included part of the pine forest of the north and most of the prairie to the south. The fire lasted until the month of December. No lives were lost; a few out buildings were lost; the wildlife had a small number of animals put down from injuries.

Was this a disaster? I think not. In an urban setting this would certainly be a disaster. However in this case the fire is ecosystem renewal. Natural prairies function with fire to remove the old vegetation and provide nutrients for the grass land. Forests build up plant material to decay and provide nutrients for the trees. This debris at times ignites for what ever resin. In the process of burning, numerous trees do not survive. Do not fear for the there are large trees surviving that will act as nurseries for the future. At Custer salvable trees by the hundreds are being hauled to the sawmill on a daily basis. It is my hope that the value of these trees goes directly back to the management of the ecosystem known as Custer SP

May 2018 - I spent several days at Custer. It opened my eyes to fire ecology; making me face the fact that this was not a disaster but renewal - a valuable learning experience. I wish I had been present to observe the burn. The site of this must have been overwhelming. I walked out on the prairie amongst the bright new growth of grass - feeling the crunch of the burnt stubble under my feet. I hope the photos in this essay convey similar feelings to you. The pictures were taken over a period of several days and compiled into a tour of the Wildlife Loop. The tour starts at the west entrance and goes to the east entrance.