The Cass County Board of Commissioners announced on April 16 that it has declared a fire emergency and put burn restrictions in place through November 30, 2026. The decision comes as the county faces abundant dry vegetation and ongoing hot, dry, and windy weather conditions.
The new restrictions are designed to reduce the risk of wildfires during periods when fire danger is elevated. The rules will be enforced whenever the North Dakota Rangeland Fire Danger Rating for Cass County is classified as High, Very High, or Extreme, or when a Red Flag Warning is issued by the National Weather Service.
Under these restrictions, open burning is not allowed. This includes campfires, controlled burns such as wood piles or tree piles, cropland or agricultural burning, fireworks (both aerial and ground), and garbage or pit burning. Certain controlled devices are excluded from the ban if they are used on a hard, non-organic surface at least 15 feet away from vegetation and if an extinguisher or water source is available nearby. These devices include gas grills, gas patio fireplaces and chimineas, gas camp stoves, charcoal grills, wood-fired grills and smokers.
Violating these burn restrictions can result in criminal penalties under North Dakota Century Code 37-17.1-10.1. Offenders may face up to 30 days in jail and fines up to $1,500 for a Class B misdemeanor.
Residents are urged to check the daily Fire Danger Rating before doing any kind of burning activity. The current rating can be found at ndresponse.gov/burn.
