Woodbury County officials say the cause of Saturday’s major brush fire that burned over 3,500 acres was accidental, and no criminal charges are being pursued. Authorities say it was an accidental re-ignition of a previously burned tree pile near Bronson.
The fire caused damage to structures and resulted in Highway 20 shutting down for hours between Lawton and Moville. Drew Baier of Woodbury County Emergency Services says homes and farm structures were destroyed in the fire.
Two bridges sustained fire damage, with one needing to be replaced due to suffering severe damage. Fortunately, only one person suffered minor injuries.
Although Plymouth County Emergency Management “strongly encouraged” residents in the southeastern parts of the county near Kingsley to evacuate Saturday afternoon, Emergency Management confirmed to KLEM that the fire never crossed county lines.
Baier says the 40mph wind gusts caused the fire to spread quickly and created other problems.
Fire crews worked through the night Saturday battling the blaze, with crews monitoring hot spots on Sunday. More than 40 organizations in the tri-state area responded to assist with emergency operations.
