I think it is odd that we don't hear more about large canyon fires up in that northern Niobrara river area. In a way, it is something like the canyons of SoCal, with plenty of fuel to burn a huge amount of timber and grasslands. The canyons are deep, full of pine, and ringed with dry grass tinder. The terrain isn't what many of you think of sand hills endless grassland sand dunes, treeless, etc. If you look at the Prairie Club photos in that Snake river canyon, that is what much of the land is like. It would be a real worry always that the old forest pines in those canyons would go up in flames. The prairie burns and rejuvenates within the season. But those old pines take 100 years and more.
That diversity of terrain is what makes the Prairie Club parcels all the more unique. The river canyon contrasted with the prairie rolling grasslands above the cap rock is what will really set the Prairie Club apart from the other sand hill courses. Of the three (Dismal, Sand Hills GC, and BallyNeal) the Prairie Club has the most diverse and beautiful surrounds, IMHO.
But..... the PC land is about a 30 minute trip southwest of Valentine. I remain skeptical about it, the Dismal River project and anything else up there aquiring the staffing personnel on a constant basis to make the projects the success that SHGC has been. There are only a finite amount of ranchers and sand hills folks that may want to work and travel the distances to be employed at such a project. With gas prices going crazy, that puts all the more doubt in the incentive and allure of locals working there.
I don't know anything about the decisions and plans of Dr. Trimble. I know he is a very fine gentleman with a very deep feeling for that land. He will do what is best and feasible at the end of the day.