fire

The fires nearly took out Ray and Mandaree

Wildfires are not new to North Dakota. With the vast expanses of grass, fires can spread easily. On this date in 1900, the Washburn Leader lamented the numerous fires that swept through the western part of the state in recent months. The concern centered around the destruction of farmland and crops, but the flames also struck businesses like the Little Missouri Horse Company barns in March of 1900.

In 1882 Emery Mapes, originally from Illinois, moved to Nelson County in Dakota Territory. He platted a townsite next to the St. Paul, Minneapolis, Manitoba Railway. He hoped to build a thriving town named after himself that would become the county seat. A depot, grain elevator, and post office were soon built. There was population of 100 people by 1890, along with a school, grocery story, general store, hotel, saloon, blacksmith, and hardware store. Emery Mapes even published a town newspaper.

In early August, 1908, citizens of Cranbrook, British Columbia, were fighting a fire that threatened their city when news came over the wire that the Fernie-Fort Steele Brewery in nearby Fernie was on fire. Then the lines of communication went dead. Several hours later, when Cranbrook’s fire scare had mainly passed, communication was reestablish—only to learn that the fire in Fernie had spread, destroying most of the town.

In 1928, a literal bang welcomed in the new year in Bismarck, albeit a little more than a week late. A sharp early morning explosion at the Bismarck Fur Company was followed by a fire. The business on 5th Street was on the ground floor of the Annex Hotel building. While the fire was not expected to spread beyond the store, more than 50 people were forced to flee to the streets in the wee hours hours due to the heavy smoke filling their rooms.

Two recent incidents have put a spotlight on CO poisoning and prevention.

Many of you probably heard the news about the wildfires in the badlands earlier this spring. Areas around Medora, the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt…

Wheatland, North Dakota, named for the fields of wheat on bonanza farms, was reported as "a new village ten miles west of Casselton" in 1878, as it found…

On this date in 1915, several prairie fires whipped North Dakota. A number of these fires were reported to have started from burning haystacks, and spread…

On this date in 1993, Gwinner residents were supposed to watch Buffalo Bills player Phil Hansen, a native of nearby Oakes, play in the Super Bowl.…