RAPID CITY, S.D. (KELO) –South Dakota Wildland Fire is working with people across the area to get their burn permits now that the season has kicked off.

As fall transitions towards winter, hazardous materials lay through the Black Hills that could spread a wildfire.

“The whole reason for that is to help with the fuel aspect of that. Where with our hazardous fuels going through and mitigating so that if we have a wildfire that moves through that area, we’ve got the ability to stop it a little bit quicker and faster.” SD Wildland Fire Chief of Operations Jason Rodriguez said.

These slash piles can be around 6 feet in diameter and 5 feet tall.

Once individuals have obtained their burn permit and have started putting their piles together out on their land, they need to wait for the optimal time to make these burns. That being with snowfall and a lot of moisture on the ground, that way the fires won’t be able to spread once the piles start to go down.

If burns start while the ground is really dry, it can jump and increase in speed, that could create a wildfire.

“We talk about that progression of fire when a fire picks up something of that sort. And we’ve seen it where we’ve had wildfires have started and they start moving across the landscape. We’re looking at where we can stop that fire and not put firefighters in danger and the public in danger at that point.” Rodriguez said.

Anyone can acquire a burn permit as they are free. You can get yours here.