Firefighting crews are battling at least 16 wildfires across North Dakota, including several large blazes still burning in the wooded areas and grasslands of the Turtle Mountain Reservation near the Canadian border.
Dry and breezy conditions, combined with severe drought in much of the state, have fueled the flames. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, western North Dakota is experiencing severe to extreme drought, exacerbating the wildfire threat before the spring green-up.
Multiple agencies, including the North Dakota Forest Service and local fire departments, have responded to the fires. National Guard Black Hawk helicopters have been deployed to drop water, saving homes from the advancing flames. Fire engines have been requested from as far as Montana and South Dakota, and tribal members have joined the efforts using buckets and hoses to combat the fires.
The state Department of Emergency Services reports that three distinct fires, which have been joining and separating, have burned approximately 17 square kilometers in the Turtle Mountain area, primarily north of Belcourt on the Turtle Mountain Reservation.
The fires began steadily on Friday, and while one vacant mobile home is believed to have been lost, there have been no other injuries or homes destroyed. About 10 families evacuated from their homes as fires reached their yards.
Crews faced high winds on Monday, but rain overnight, moderating winds, and the dedicated efforts of firefighters have improved the situation. Between 75 and 100 firefighters responded on Sunday, the busiest day since the fires began. Local businesses and tribal members have provided significant assistance.
Officials believe the fires may have started accidentally, potentially from sparks escaping residents’ trash-burning barrels. Nearly all of the 16 fires around the state are now fully contained, though a fire in Rolla on Sunday did lead to evacuations. Fires on the Fort Berthold Reservation have burned at least 8 square kilometers, with one blaze there 40 percent contained.
