Cedar River Fire
-
The Cedar River Fire burned 8,960 acres in southern North Dakota on Wednesday, April 9.
Cedar-river-fire-6
-
Cedar-river-fire-5
-
Wind gusts up to 39 MPH and low humidity fueled the Cedar River Fire.
Cedar-River-fire-3
-
-
Cedar-river-fire-4
-
Lemmon VFD personnel discuss mop up efforts.
cedar-river-fire-2
-
No fatalities or injuries were reported with the Cedar River fire, and it is believed no livestock were lost.
Cedar-River-Fire-1
-
490353836_10232563078392936_8581632892647504654_n
CEDAR RIVER FIRE
Incident Location: Thirteen miles due north of Lemmon, South Dakota in Adams County, North Dakota.
Extent: Adams County, Grant County and Sioux County North Dakota.
Incident date and time: April 9, 2025, 1:10 p.m. – Operations Ongoing
Containment: 90% as of 6:00 p.m. MDT, April 11, 2025
Acres: 8,730
On April 9, 2025 at 1:10 p.m., the Lemmon Fire Department responded to a report of a major grass fire straight north of Lemmon, South Dakota, in Adams County, North Dakota. High winds were recorded in Lemmon with an afternoon gust of 39 miles per hour. Mutual aid was immediately summoned from Mott, North Dakota and Hettinger, North Dakota and an initial attack was made. Significant structure protection, including a primary residence, was successfully accomplished during the first hour of the incident. Over ten fire departments, including the North Dakota State Forest Service Fire Task Force, with an unknown number of personnel and equipment, provided mutual aid along with several agencies and individuals providing crucial support supplying water and fire breaks.
Advancement of the head of the fire was stopped at 6:05 p.m. at the Cedar River in the general location of the Adams, Grant and Sioux County lines. Eight structures were lost, including one hunting lodge. No primary residences were reported lost. County roads were closed to travel, but North Dakota State Highway 49 was not closed.
No injuries have been reported. No fatalities are associated with this fire.
The fire was eight to nine miles long and two miles wide in places, 8,730 acres have burned.
On Thursday, April 10, operations continued north of Lemmon on the fire. The fire at that time remained at 70% contained. Conditions on Thursday steadily worsened with high winds and low relative humidity. Slope Electric was on scene to address compromised power poles and any down power lines. Mop up and monitoring took place throughout the day with the assistance of the North Dakota State Forestry Service (Bismarck Rural and Kindred) along with fire departments from Lemmon, Bison, McIntosh and Buffalo. By Thursday afternoon the fire was 80% contained.
On Friday, April 11, the Lemmon Fire Department continued to monitor weather and the fire scene. Shortly after 1:00 p.m., technicians began controlled burns to prevent fire spread as winds change directions during the next 48 hours.
As of 6:00 p.m. April 11, adjusted acreage number is 8,730 acres burned, and the fire is 90% contained. Areas in the interior will continue to burn with visible flame and smoke; however, spread will be minimal as there is burned ground all around it.
Responding Fire Departments: South Dakota: Lemmon, Bison, McIntosh, Grand River, Morristown, Lodgepole, Buffalo (unofficial).
North Dakota: Hettinger, Carson, Elgin, New Leipzig, Mott, North Dakota State Forest Service Task Force (Bismarck Rural and Kindred), Hebron (unofficial).
Agency Response: Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Sioux County Sheriff’s Office, Grant County Sheriff’s Office, Mott Ambulance, Corson County Highway Department, Adams County Highway Department (unofficial).
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office and North Dakota Fire Marshal’s Office.
-Shane Penfield, Lemmon Volunteer Fire Department Fire Marshal/Public Information officer
