BISMARCK, N.D. — Gov. Doug Burgum has declared a statewide fire emergency today, April 1st after a wildfire in Billings County caused the city of Medora to be evacuated.
ND National Guard deploys two Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters with 600-gallon water buckets
Burgum said the North Dakota National Guard deployed two Black Hawk helicopters to assist in battling the blaze. Multiple agencies responded to the fire. Interstate 94 was also temporarily closed.
The state has seen a growing number of wildfires with extreme drought conditions across the state. Burgum had placed the National Guard on standby earlier Thursday.
The National Drought Mitigation Center report shows nearly half the state is seeing drought conditions.
The North Dakota Forest Service has tracked more than 140 wildfires that have burned over 46.8 square miles (121.2 square kilometers) in total.
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