Image courtesy of North Dakota Game and Fish Department
PAYTON GALL, KSJB LOCAL NEWS –
Damage from the historic wildfires have amassed at least $8 million according to Governor Doug Burgum, resulting in a request on Thursday for President Joe Biden to declare a major disaster.
The fast-spreading wildfires that ravaged roughly 120,000 acres caused major destruction on October 5th and beyond. The fires are likely the worst in North Dakota’s history, with effects including losing large amounts of topsoil, and detriments to cattle herds. 110 miles of fence, 37,000 feet of shelterbelts, and 1150 haybales were destroyed. Electrical companies in McKenzie and Williams counties reported $3.7 million in damage, adding to the estimated $8 million in total damage.
Counties that incurred damage surpassed the threshold for public assistance, so Governor Doug Burgum issued a request to President Joe Biden to declare this event a major disaster to unlock funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
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