Pierre, S.D. - State prison inmates continue to assist with fighting a fire in the Black Hills.

Inmates and staff members from the Rapid City Minimum Unit were first called to assist with suppression efforts on the Grizzly Complex Fire near Mount Rushmore February 28th. The Department of Corrections crew has returned to the fire lines each day since then. The fire is now contained.

All of the inmates on the fire line are wildland fire trained and certified firefighters.

Department of Corrections fire crews worked more than 34-hundred hours on fire lines during state fiscal year 2005.

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