McKenzie & Williams County Wildfires Impact Producers, Families

Since Oct. 5, McKenzie and Williams County have battled fire, some only being fully contained in the last few days. Watford City, Mandaree, Ray, Arnegard, Tioga, and surrounding areas now face the devastation left behind on the over 22,000 scorched acres. Two men, Ed Coppersmith and Nicolaas van Eeden, lost their lives working to save livestock. Tioga and Ray producers were hit the hardest, some losing the majority of their herd. The livestock that were lost are yet to be totaled, and more will be added in the coming month due to pneumonia and other smoke-related illnesses. Family farms, homes, equipment, vehicles, fence lines, and power poles were lost along with pastures, fall crops, forest service habitat, and valuable topsoil.

On Oct. 3, the Governor Burgum declared a statewide fire emergency, and many rightly feared the high wind warnings would accelerate any sparks damage path. They did just that, and the wind-fueled flames jumped highways and natural barriers to spread at catastrophic pace. Karolin Jappe, McKenzie County's Emergency Manager, has 11 volunteer fire departments on call for the region, and all came together to save lives, land and property. An all-call was sent out when the Arnegard fire started, and if not for the response to that call to every department, the fire would have without a doubt reached Watford City. She could not praise the "amazing local fire departments and great responders who are one big happy family"; Watford City, Keene, and Mandaree's fire departments gave the fires their full attention. Sidney, Fairview, Billings County, Williston, West Dunn, Grassy Butte, Alexander, Arnegard, Twin Valley departments came to add their support as well. There were also community efforts to help those chased from their homes by the fires. Johnson's Christian Academy took in and fed 35 people displaced by the Bear Den fire and was not alone in opening their doors in their neighbor's time of need.

How these areas now respond to the damage is less of a weeks-to-months' timeline, and more of a 3-5 year one. The ferocious wind and flames together ruined years of topsail development, herd growth and the fragile Badlands ecosystem. The long-term recovery for ranchers, farmers, forest service, and all affected will hopefully be aided by a coming assessment from the Governor's office for a presidential disaster declaration and aid. The challenging terrain of the Badlands was physically and financially draining for the departments involved, and for the first time in state history, air efforts were required to quell the blaze. Fire bombers, their bellies full of water scooped from Lake Sakakawea, dispersed their loads on the Bear Den fire.

The North Dakota Stockman's Foundation has created the "Out of the Ashes" Wildlife Disaster Relief Program, specifically to aid cattle producers that were impacted by the fire. They and the North Dakota Stockman's Association have gifted $50,000 to the program, and hope others will be willing to aid them in raising financial support for ranchers. The money raised will be distributed through an application and nomination process; applications will be available later this month.

More information can be found at http://www.ndstockmen.org. A fire relief benefit is planned at the Tioga Community Center Nov. 16, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. All money raised through the live and silent auction will go to the families hit hardest by the fires, including Nicolaas Van Eeden's pregnant wife and Ed Coppersmith's girlfriend and sons. Daryl Holte lost his entire farm and was only able to save two vehicles. Jeffery Moe's family lost their home, barn, and animals. And the Karg children's newly built home is now unlivable. If you'd like to donate, contact Kelci Hanson at 701-641-2097.