PIERRE - Gov. Mike Rounds said Tuesday that that he's initiating an emergency fire plan in western South Dakota.

Rounds signed an emergency fire declaration for 17 counties west of the Missouri River which allows for the use of the state emergency disaster fund to support fire protection programs.

Officials made the decision after taking a look at the fire indices, precipitation outlook and other factors.

Under the plan, eligible volunteer fire departments will be reimbursed for 90 percent of their fuel costs and general equipment repairs. The state has also contracted with two single engine air tanker planes based in Hot Springs to respond to fires as needed.

The counties in the declaration are: Bennett, Butte, Custer, Dewey, Fall River, Haakon, Jackson, Jones, Lawrence, Lyman, Meade, Mellette, Pennington, Shannon, Stanley, Todd and Ziebach.