OCTOBER 8, 2024:
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Firefighters have a greater handle on two large wildfires burning in western North Dakota, some of several fires that took off in the high winds and dry conditions over the weekend, killing one man and evacuating hundreds of people from their homes.
As of 10:13 a.m. Tuesday (Oct. 8, 2024), the 28,434-acre (11,507-hectare) Elkhorn Fire near Grassy Butte was 40% contained, and the 11,746-acre (4,753-hectare) Bear Den Fire near Mandaree was 30% contained, according to the state Department of Emergency Services.
No injuries have been reported in connection with the two fires. Two homes and numerous outbuildings have been lost. Both fires are burning in rugged Badlands terrain in North Dakota’s oilfield.
The two fires were some of six major wildfires from over the weekend in scattered areas of western North Dakota, where dry conditions and wind gusts up to nearly 80 mph (129 kph) spurred the flames. Officials believe downed power lines caused at least some of the fires.
The North Dakota Forest Service logged 33 reported fires over the weekend, amounting to 49,180 acres (19,902 hectares).
That figure does not include the large Ray, Tioga- and Alamo-area fires that merged into one. That fire’s burn perimeter is estimated at 88,000 acres (35,612 hectares), but there could be patches within that area that didn’t burn, a department spokesperson said. That fire is 99% contained. Flareups are still an issue.
Johannes Nicolaas Van Eeden, 26, of South Africa, died from critical injuries resulting from the Ray-area fire, and another person was critically injured, the Williams County Sheriff’s Office said Sunday morning.
More than 100 people evacuated from their homes in the Arnegard and Keene areas Saturday due to fires.
Livestock losses from the fires were not immediately clear. Hundreds of power poles were damaged. Segments of two highways temporarily closed.
Officials expect the fire danger conditions to continue this fall.
OCTOBER 7, 2024:
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — One person died and others were evacuated from their homes as wildfires driven by ferocious winds and dry conditions raged through parts of western North Dakota over the weekend.
Six wildfires were reported, and, as of late Sunday (Oct. 6, 2024), large fires near Grassy Butte and Mandaree were still considered 0% contained, the state Department of Emergency Services said. Four other fires were 90% to 100% contained as of 11:45 p.m. Sunday. Dry and windy conditions spurred the weekend fires.
Johannes Nicolaas Van Eeden, 26, of South Africa, died due to critical injuries from a large fire near Ray in northwest North Dakota, the Williams County Sheriff’s Office said Sunday. Another person was critically injured, the sheriff’s office said.
The fires burned in scattered areas over a vast swath of North Dakota’s oil field, including agricultural land, grassland and rugged Badlands terrain where small, rural towns dot the map.
At least two homes and numerous outbuildings were lost in the 25,000-acre (10,117.15-hectare) Mandaree-area Bear Dean Fire that’s still burning, the department said. Damages in other fires included downed power lines, vehicles and outbuildings.
The fires led to evacuations in several areas and the temporary closure of U.S. Highway 2 near Ray. It wasn’t immediately clear how many people evacuated.
“This may go down in history as one of the worst combined fire situation in North Dakota history,” North Dakota Adjutant General Mitch Johnson said in a statement Sunday. “Yesterday we were on defense, but today we’re on offense.”
Wind gusts reported Saturday morning in areas of western and central North Dakota ranged from 57 mph to 75 mph, according to the National Weather Service. Most of western North Dakota is in some level of drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum planned to take aerial tours of wildfire areas and meet with officials and locals on Monday.
Local, state, tribal and federal responders and agencies battled the fires, as well as National Guard firefighters and help from Montana and New Mexico, according to Burgum’s office.
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