Downed power lines turned a statewide Red Flag Day into an evacuation of the popular resort town of Medora Thursday.
The fire, which burned approximately 3,000 acres to the west of the community on Interstate 94 also closed the four-lane highway for several hours April 1.
The Medora fire is under control, but the extreme fire conditions have continued to impact the western part of the state.
The fire conditions in the region are extreme, according to a National Forest Service spokesperson.
âAnother fire was reported on USDA Forest Service national grasslands on Saturday that started burning into the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. This fire is currently estimated at 30 percent contained burning roughly 1000 acres. Bravo unit and two air tankers were called in for assistance from South Dakota yesterday; the tankers delivered one drop each.
National park fire now 50% contained; lighter winds aid fire crews bismarcktribune.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from bismarcktribune.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
A wildfire blazing in the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park has grown to nearly 8 square miles, but fire crews have made progress on boxing it in and protecting threatened structures.
The Horse Pasture Fire on Tuesday was estimated at 5,000 acres and 45% contained, according to Beth Hill, acting outreach and education manager for the North Dakota Forest Service. The cause was still under investigation, though authorities think it likely was caused by a person.
Fire crews have used back-burning eliminating vegetation with controlled burns to create a fire perimeter roughly on the east, north and south sides of the park area, and they were working on the western flank Tuesday, according to Park Superintendent Wendy Ross.
Shortly after 1 p.m. MDT, the Medora command center and firefighters were pleased to report 100% containment and an estimated 2,276 acres burned in the wildfire lasting 5 days surrounding North Dakota's western tourism capital.
A wildfire that has shut down the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park tripled in size on Easter during another day of record heat and dry, blustery conditions in western North Dakota.
Meanwhile, crews on Monday fully contained a fire in the area of the park s South Unit that prompted the evacuation of the tourist town of Medora last Thursday.
Crews worked through the night on the North Unit fire dubbed the Horse Pasture Fire trying to get a handle on the blaze that is now 3,000 acres, or more than 4 ½ square miles, according to Beth Hill, acting outreach and education manager for the North Dakota Forest Service.