Nearly twenty fire departments respond to massive wildfire north of Lemmon

January 15, 2021
Mike Tanner

LEMMON, S.D.–Nearly twenty fire departments from two states have been fighting a massive wildfire northwest of Lemmon in Adams County, North Dakota.

Lemmon Fire Marshal Shane Penfield says the fire call came in at 4:30 Thursday afternoon during extremely windy conditions.

Lemmon immediately requested mutual aid from the Hettinger, North Dakota Fire Department and an initial attack was made.

Penfield says the fire was growing very rapidly and moving southeast.

Several farms and ranches were evacuated and structure protection was initiated by responding fire departments from as far away as Mobridge, Faith and Bowman, North Dakota.

Penfield says around 1:30 this morning, the west flank of the fire re-ignited, and crews are continuing to work on containing the fire. He estimates the fire has traveled over 20 miles, and was, at some points, more than four miles wide.

It’s believed to have consumed more than 10,000 acres.
Two firefighters were injured and received medical care at West River Regional Medical Center in Hettinger, North Dakota.