State Fire Marshal releases statement on preliminary findings of North Dakota wildfires

BISMARCK, N.D. – State Fire Marshal Doug Nelson has released the following statement regarding preliminary findings of wildfires that began in northwestern North Dakota on Oct. 5.

“Our team was requested to assist local fire departments and districts in northwestern North Dakota. As of today, we have responded to the New Town/Dinwoodie, Keene Township, and Williams County fires, specifically the fires near Ray and Highway 85. Other fires that broke out did not warrant the assistance of the State Fire Marshal or may be investigated by different agencies.

“The investigations we are handling are ongoing and remain in the beginning stages. Early indications suggest no evidence of intentionally set fires at the scenes we responded to. An official cause of origin report will be available when the investigation is complete, typically taking one to two months.”

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The Office of the State Fire Marshal, a division of the North Dakota Insurance Department, is tasked with supporting local fire departments and districts through fire investigations, data reporting, and community risk reduction initiatives.