WILDFIRES

Burgum warns fire season to be ‘tough’ amid drought

BISMARCK, N.D. – North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum is warning the state is headed to a “tough fire season.” He visited Billings County, where a fire had prompted him to call a statewide wildfire emergency. The governor says that even prior to calling the state of emergency this week, far more acres have already burned this year than all of…

Wildfires continue in western North Dakota

Theodore Roosevelt National ParkMEDORA, N.D. (KVRR/KFGO) – Firefighters are making progress in controlling a large grass fire near Medora as more wildfires have started in other areas in the western part of the state facing high fire danger. According to the North Dakota Forest Service, as of midday Sunday, the Medora blaze was 85% contained. It had burned an estimated…

Update: Crews stop wildfire from spreading into Medora

BISMARCK, N.D. – Firefighters have stopped a wildfire from spreading in the western North Dakota tourist town of Medora, where its 100 residents were forced to evacuate. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damaged structures in the community, which is just outside Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Crews spared the Burning Hills Amphitheatre, home to the Medora Musical. The…

North Dakota National Guard on standby for wildfire response

BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR) – Gov. Doug Burgum has placed the North Dakota National Guard on standby to provide help if additional resources are needed to respond to a growing number of wildfires. In the event a statewide emergency is declared, the order enables National Guard members to support local, tribal, federal and state firefighting efforts.  It also makes firefighter training…

Fargo Firefighter discusses his experience battling wildfires in Oregon

He spent close to 12 hour days, seven days a week combating the wildfires.

FARGO, N.D. – As most states nearby were already tapped out on resources, Fargo firefighter Justin Smith says he traveled to the state of Oregon to help lend a hand. Smith was coming in with experiences of his own, having worked in wild land fires at the bureau of land management in Utah. He spent close to 12 hour days,…

Firefighters Answer The Call To Help Battle Wildfires On The West Coast

Wildfires in Oregon have burned at least 1 million acres and destroyed at least two thousand homes

Courtesy: Fargo Fire Department/FacebookFARGO, N.D. — Firefighters from across North Dakota and Minnesota headed to Oregon this week to help fight wildfires. The City of Fargo put out a brief video explaining how four of its members answered the governor’s call for assistance. “After reviewing the request Gov. Burgum signed the authorization that allowed North Dakota resources to travel to…

Local Firefighters Arrive In Oregon To Help Battle Wildfires

Firefighters from Fargo, Grand Forks, Williston and Across Minnesota

SALEM, OR — We are getting an update on the firefighting crews from North Dakota and Minnesota who are just arriving on the West coast to help fight wildfires. The North Dakota Firefighting Task Force is near Selma, Oregon and assigned to the Slater-Devils-Fox fire on the Oregon-California border. It is only about 10 percent contained and has already burned…

North Dakota Forest Service Issues Very High Fire Danger Rating for North Dakota

The fire danger rating is issued once a day for each of North Dakota's 53 counties.

NORTH DAKOTA–The state of North Dakota has been issued a high or very high fire danger rating for Friday. A high fire danger rating means that fires start easily from all causes and have the potential to spread rapidly. Unattended brush and campfires are common starters of wildfires. The fire danger rating is issued once a day for each of…

Red Cross of the Dakotas Deploys Three to California for Wildfire Recovery

two are from north dakota and one is from south dakota

FARGO, N.D. — It’s been a few months since the California wildfires have been extinguished. The cleanup and recovery means there’s still a long road ahead for those affected. A few people from the Dakotas are doing their part to assist those without a home. When Sandra Heggeness was 11-years-old, it was the Red Cross who came to her and her…