'Historic' wildfires in western North Dakota kill 1, destroy tens of thousands of acres (2024)

RAY, N.D. — Multiple fires that broke out this weekend in western North Dakota have killed one person, burned tens of thousands of acres and destroyed several buildings, with one firefighter describing a blaze as "Armageddon."

Emergency crews, farmers, ranchers and others continued to battle 40 fires on Sunday, Oct. 6, that began late Friday and early Saturday, according to the North Dakota Governor's Office. A fire about one-quarter mile east of Ray killed 26-year-old Johannes Nicolaas Van Eeden of South Africa, the Williams County Sheriff’s Office said Sunday.

A second person was taken to a hospital for critical injuries, a news release said.

Strong winds, with gusts sometimes reaching 75 mph, and dry conditions exacerbated the fires. Authorities continue to assess the damage.

The North Dakota Department of Emergency Services has called the wildfires "historic."

"I talked to another firefighter that was coming in when I did the all-call," Arnegard Rural Fire Department Chief Rick Schreiber told The Forum. "They said when they got close to Arnegard, they said it looked like Armageddon."

State agencies and emergency responders from across the west side of the state struggled to control the fires on Saturday, Emergency Services said. Several fires, including one in the Bear Den near Mandaree, were 0% contained as of 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Emergency Services said.

That fire has destroyed 25,000 acres, two homes and multiple outbuildings, according to the Emergency Services news release.

“This may go down in history as one of the worst combined fire situations in North Dakota history,” North Dakota Adjutant Gen. Mitch Johnson said in a statement. “Yesterday we were on defense, but today we’re on offense.”

FEMA has authorized federal funds to help cover the costs of fighting the Bear Den fire, the U.S. agency announced Sunday night.

1/4:Two fires near Ray and Tioga, North Dakota, that merged into one Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, destroyed power lines, vehicles and oil tanks. Contributed / Ramona Barmoen

2/4:Two fires near Ray and Tioga, North Dakota, that merged into one on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, destroyed power lines, vehicles and oil tanks. Contributed / Ramona Barmoen

3/4:Two fires near Ray and Tioga, North Dakota, that merged into one on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, destroyed power lines, vehicles and oil tanks. Contributed / Ramona Barmoen

4/4:Two fires near Ray and Tioga, North Dakota, that merged into one on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, destroyed power lines, vehicles and oil tanks. Contributed / Ramona Barmoen

Fires near Ray and Tioga were 90% contained, though firefighters there continued to battle flare-ups, Emergency Services said. The two fires that merged into one downed power lines, destroyed oil tanks and burned vehicles.

Officials continue to assess damage, Emergency Services said.

The Elkhorn fire near Grassy Butte was 12 miles long and 5 miles wide, the state said.

The fire near Arnegard destroyed 561 acres, outbuildings and vehicles before crews there extinguished it at 7 a.m. Sunday. A high-power transmission line broken by wind caused the fire early Saturday morning, Schreiber told The Forum.

Contributed / Arnegard Rural Fire Department

“They just got to whipping back and forth, and two of them dropped on the ground,” he said. “As soon as they hit the ground, it arced and it lit everything on fire.”

The blaze and wind became so bad that firefighters couldn't see and had to briefly back away, Schreiber said. Crews battled to save homes and businesses in the town of roughly 260 residents.

Schreiber called State Radio for assistance and told them to "send every available unit from all surrounding fire departments," he said. More than a dozen agencies showed up to help.

Local farmers also brought in equipment, and oil companies showed up randomly with water tank, Schreiber said. The Wilmington Lutheran Church and Becky Elliot brought food and drinks for responders, he said. Everyone who showed up saved the community, Schreiber said.

"If we hadn't had that, the outcome would have been much, much different," he said. "It could have been much, much worse."

Contributed / Michelle Benson Brown

Lynn Heiser, a Watford City rancher who helped battle a fire south of his hometown, told The Forum it started in rolling hills but moved into the Badlands, he said. That topography made it more difficult to fight the fires, he said.

"It's been extremely hard simply because of the winds," Heiser said. "We had gusts in the mid-70s yesterday."

Heiser described cutting grass lines that were hundreds of feet wide, but that did little to contain the blaze, he said.

"We couldn't stop it. It just blew past it," he said.

Conditions improved Sunday as winds died down, Heiser said. Along with multiple firetrucks, many local ranchers and farmers brought equipment and vehicles to help stop the blaze, he said. Those who helped saved all of the homes in the area, though some outbuildings were lost, he said.

Contributed / Lynn Heiser

Though not confirmed, he believes no livestock were lost in the fire. Photos online appeared to show some livestock died in the fires.

"It's just been a team effort, which is how you succeed at this stuff," Heiser said. "All in all, it was about the best a guy could do. It was definitely a team effort, a lot of good people."

Firefighters also put out fires near Garrison and Charlson, Emergency Services said. The Garrison fire burned 830 acres but was stopped 1 mile from the city, according to a news release.

The Charlson fire was 2 miles wide, Emergency Services said. It downed power lines, but no additional damage was reported.

“I’ve fought fires for 27 years across the nation, including international, and can honestly say I’ve never seen anything like this,” North Dakota Forest Service Fire Manager Ryan Melin said in a statement. “Historic day, historic damage; unprecedented response."

Multiple areas have been evacuated, and authorities opened temporary shelters, the governor's office said. The fires temporarily shut down U.S. Highway 2 and State Highway 23, according to authorities.

Watford City was not evacuated, the McKenzie County Sheriff's Office said.

Contributed / North Dakota Department of Emergency Services

Gov. Doug Burgum declared a statewide fire emergency so the state could provide resources to local agencies, including two North Dakota National Guard Black Hawk helicopters that could drop water on the fires from the sky. Two heavy air tankers from Montana also were deployed to dump fire retardant on fires north of Mandaree.

“The safety of our citizens is our top priority, and we urge residents to remain vigilant and heed all evacuation orders and warnings,” he said Saturday night in a news release.

Burgum and Johnson plan to tour the damage on Monday, according to a news release.

Residents are encouraged to call 911 if they see smoke or fires. Any lost or found cattle can be reported to the North Dakota Stockmen's Association by calling 701-223-2522 or emailing cward@ndstockman.org or jellingson@ndstockmen.org.

Dry conditions will continue throughout October, Emergency Services said. The state agency reminded residents to follow burn restrictions, not start fires when red flag warnings are issued by the National Weather Service and use caution while using equipment and vehicles that could spark a fire.

People should properly dispose of cigarettes, Emergency Services said. The agency also told residents to not leave recreational fires unattended and to put them out completely.