2025 North Dakota wildfires

2025 North Dakota wildfires

The 2025 North Dakota wildfires are a series of active wildfires currently ongoing in North Dakota.

Background

Spring Fire Season

North Dakota has seen its spring wildfire season begin earlier and extend longer, primarily due to lower winter precipitation, minimal snowpack, and higher-than-normal temperatures and winds, particularly in western parts of the state. These conditions leave grasses and vegetation dry and highly flammable. As a result, state agencies have started coordinating wildfire response efforts earlier in the spring, involving entities like the North Dakota Forest Service, Department of Emergency Services, National Guard, and National Weather Service.[1]

Fall & Historic Wildfire Events

In October 2024, North Dakota experienced one of its most severe fire events when multiple fires—collectively known as the Ray and Tioga Fires—burned nearly 90,000 acres across Williams and McKenzie Counties. The rapid spread was driven by extremely dry fuels, low humidity, and winds gusting up to 78 mph, marking it one of the largest wildfire outbreaks in state history.[2]

Fires Triggered by Industry Activity

That same fall, natural gas flares at oil wells in western North Dakota were linked to two wildfires that collectively burned about 36.3 square kilometers (14 square miles). These fires caused widespread land and livestock damage and were exacerbated by strong winds and dry conditions. Investigations were launched by the North Dakota Fire Marshal’s Office.[3]

Year-Round Wildfire Potential & Management

Wildfire risk in North Dakota persists outside of those two primary windows—spring and fall—thanks to the combination of dry climate, lightning, and human-caused ignitions. Annually, the state averages around 1,800 wildland fire incidents, with major causes including lightning, escaped controlled burns, equipment operations, and smoking materials. Local jurisdictions can impose burn restrictions based on the fire danger level to help prevent uncontrolled fires.[4]

List of wildfires

The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), produced significant structural damage, or resulted in casualties.

Name County Acres Start date Containment date[a] Notes Ref.
Paur Grand Forks 1,816 March 6 March 6 [6]
Highway 49 Grant 3,960 March 11 March 11 [7]
Cedar River Sioux, Grant, Adams 8,960 April 9 April 13 Burned on South Dakota border 13 miles (21 km) north of Lemmon, South Dakota. [8][9]
Hwy 14 Sheridan 4,100 April 12 April 12 Injured two firefighters. [10]
Unknown Mountrail 1,600 May 4 May 5 [11]
Potato Hill Emmons 1,302 April 12 April 12 [12][13]
Buckhorn Archery Rolette 1,308 April 30 May 14 [14]
Backburn Rolette 1,342 May 3 May 15 [15]
Unknown Mountrail 1,600 May 4 May 5 [16]
Pouch Point Mountrail 2,000 May 4 May 14 [17]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Containment means that fire crews have established and secured control lines around the fire's perimeter. These lines are artificial barriers, like trenches or cleared vegetation, designed to stop the fire's spread, or natural barriers like rivers. Containment reflects progress in managing the fire but does not necessarily mean the fire is starved of fuel, under control, or put out.[5]

References

  1. ^ "North Dakota Prepares for Earlier, and Longer Spring Fire Season". North Dakota Department of Emergency Services. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  2. ^ "Historic Fires and High Winds on October 5, 2024". National Weather Service Bismarck. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  3. ^ "Natural gas flares sparked 2 wildfires in North Dakota, state agency says". AP News. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  4. ^ "Burn Restrictions & Wildland Fires". North Dakota Department of Emergency Services. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  5. ^ "What containment and other wildfire related terms mean". Los Angeles: KCAL-TV. September 12, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  6. ^ "Paur Fire". NASA. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  7. ^ "Hwy 49 Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  8. ^ "Cedar River Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
  9. ^ Darnay, Keith (April 11, 2025). "Shifting winds affecting work on Cedar River wildfire". KX Television. CBS. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  10. ^ "'Massive and chaotic': N.D. grass fire injures firefighters, destroys fire truck". FireRescue1. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  11. ^ "Vegetation Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  12. ^ "Potato Hill Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  13. ^ Nygaard, Brad; Nicholson, Blake (April 15, 2025). "'Massive and chaotic': N.D. grass fire injures firefighters, destroys fire truck". The Bismarck Tribune. Fire Rescue 1. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  14. ^ "Buckhorn Archery - Wildfire and Smoke Map". USAToday. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  15. ^ "Backburn - Wildfire and Smoke Map". Daily Press. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  16. ^ "Vegetation Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  17. ^ Oklahoman, The. "Pouch Point". The Oklahoman. Retrieved May 8, 2025.


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