RAPID CITY, S.D. – Emergency crews extinguished a small wildfire sparked by lightning in the Spring Creek drainage area behind Reptile Gardens near Rapid City, following a joint search effort on Sunday afternoon.

The Rockerville Volunteer Fire Department was paged to the scene around 3:50 p.m. after receiving reports of visible smoke in the area following a storm that brought significant lightning activity. State and federal resources joined local firefighters to locate the source of the fire in the terrain behind the popular tourist destination just south of Rapid City.

Search efforts were hindered briefly by a second passing rain storm, which knocked down the smoke and made pinpointing the exact location challenging for responders.

Following a 30-minute hike into the drainage area, firefighters located a tree that had been struck by lightning, along with a small spot fire burning on the ground beneath it.

Crews quickly extinguished the flames and monitored the area to ensure all heat sources were completely suppressed. Firefighters then hiked back out of the area to their response vehicles.

State forestry resources are scheduled to monitor the site in the coming days to check for potential hot spots. No injuries or property damage were reported.