Organizations Collecting Donations for North Dakota Ranchers Hit by Wildfires

NOVEMBER 5, 2024:

North Dakota rancher organizations are collecting donations, supplies, and labor to assist ranchers in the northwest part of the state who were devastated by wildfires in October 2024. An estimated 120,000 acres were burned up by wildfires last month, with high winds of up to 78 miles per hour helping the fires to tear through the region. The damage was immense, with farmers and ranchers losing many head of cattle, stored feedstocks, fences, gates, hayfields, and crop fields. They also lost farmsteads, pastures, outbuildings, farmhouses, and equipment.

“The investigations we are handling are ongoing and remain in the beginning stages,” says North Dakota State Fire Marshall Doug Nelson. “Early indications suggest no evidence of intentionally set fires at the scenes we have responded to.” He also says an official cause of origin report will be available when the investigation is complete. That usually takes between one to two months to wrap up.

OCTOBER 10, 2024:

Some non-profit organizations have come together to coordinate efforts to help farmers and ranchers in North Dakota affected by wildfires this past week (Oct. 10, 2024).

North Dakota Stockmen’s Association Executive Vice President Julie Ellingson says drought conditions, nearly 80mph winds and rough terrain made fighting the fires even more challenging.

Ellingson says they won’t know the death toll from the fires for a while, but they do know that right now, there’s a lot of missing cattle.

As for how to help, Ellingson says updated information can be found on the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, the Stockmen’s Association or the Independent Beef Association of North Dakota websites.

The North Dakota Stockmen’s Association and ND Stockmen’s Foundation have kickstarted the “Out of the Ashes Wildfire Disaster Relief Program” fund with an initial contribution of $50,000. The gifts will be pooled and distributed in their entirety to North Dakota cattle ranchers this winter through an application and nomination process. Application and nomination forms for the disaster relief program will be available at the end of the month at www.ndstockmen.org.

Monetary contributions can be made two ways:

• Checks can be made to the NDSF with “Out of the Ashes” written in the memo and sent to 4520 Ottawa St., Bismarck, ND 58503; or
• Credit card gifts can be made online by clicking here.

(DRG Farm News partner Jesse Allen and the American Ag Network supplied the audio for this story.)