Fire Damages Sacred Earth Lodge at Red Cloud Renewable, Delaying Solar Training Amid $5.2M Bush Foundation Deal

**TL;DR** A fire gutted the central training building at Red Cloud Renewable, damaging two‑thirds of the Sacred Earth Lodge and postponing its solar workforce programs. The incident occurs while the organization prepares to launch a $5.265 million Bush Foundation initiative that will place 100 mobile solar systems on reservation homes.

**Context** On April 10 a spark from a wood stove ignited a nearby kindling box, starting a blaze in the Quonset‑style Sacred Earth Lodge. The lodge serves as the nonprofit’s main classroom, kitchen, and gathering space for students learning solar installation. Fire marshals arrived quickly and assessed the damage through visual inspection and structural checks, estimating that 65 % to 70 % of the building was compromised. The stairwell, kitchen, men’s bathroom, and second‑floor conference area were all affected, and every plastic item inside melted due to intense heat.

**Key Facts** - Fire marshals reported 65 %‑70 % damage to the lodge, based on on‑site surveys of walls, roof, and interior fixtures. - John Red Cloud, director of programs, said there were only about four or five inches of breathable air at floor level and that all plastic items melted. - The organization announced a $5.265 million partnership with the Bush Foundation to launch the Wiconi Solar Initiative, which will deploy 100 mobile solar units (each 6.39 kilowatts) to Oglala Lakota households. - Each unit is projected to save participating families roughly $1,500 per year in electricity costs.

**What It Means** The loss of the lodge disrupts hands‑on training that prepares tribal members for solar jobs, pushing back the May cohort indefinitely while staff shift to cleanup and insurance documentation. At the same time, the Bush Foundation deal signals a major expansion of off‑grid solar access across the Pine Ridge Reservation, aiming to cut household energy bills and increase energy independence. Rebuilding the lodge will be essential to resume training, but the mobile‑unit rollout could proceed independently if funding and logistics stay on track.

Watch next: whether insurers approve repairs to the lodge’s electrical and water systems, and how quickly the first batch of MEGA units is delivered to families later this year.