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2025 South Dakota wildfires

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2025 South Dakota wildfires
The Route 13 Fire on March 10
2026 →

The 2025 South Dakota wildfires were a series of wildfires that burned in the U.S. state of South Dakota.

Background

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South Dakota Drought Monitor on March 25, 2025
Main article: List of South Dakota wildfires

While "fire season" varies every year in South Dakota, most wildfires occur between February and April and June and August. However, there is an increasing fire danger year-round. Fire conditions can be exacerbated by drought, strong winds, and vegetation growth. Climate change is leading to increased temperatures, lower humidity levels, and drought conditions are happening more often. Additionally, warmer temperatures and less precipitation can result in less snowmelt, further contributing to bad wildfire conditions.[1][2]

Summary

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South Dakota’s wildfire season in 2025 has remained relatively moderate so far, with occasional large fires in grassland and tribal-reservation areas. [3]

One of the largest fires this year is the Route 13 Fire in Ziebach County, which burned about 33,928 acres after three individual fires merged. [4][5] Other significant wildfires include the South Tripp Fire in Tripp County (~1,288 acres) and the War Creek Fire in Jones County (~2,602 acres). [6][7]

Smoke from regional fires and distant fires (including Canadian wildfires) has periodically affected air quality in parts of eastern South Dakota and the Black Hills region. [8]

In western South Dakota, Red Flag Warnings have been issued under hot, dry, and windy conditions, reminding that fire danger is still present even late in the season. [9]

List of wildfires

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The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), produced significant structural damage, or resulted in casualties.

Name County Acres Start date Containment date[a] Notes Ref
Route 13 Ziebach 33,928 March 10 March 20 From three fires merging together. Burned about 8 miles (13 km) south of Faith. [11][12]
South Tripp Tripp 2,000 March 14 March 15 [13]
War Creek Jones 2,602 July 26 July 29 Human-caused. Burned 15 miles (24 km) south of Fort Pierre. [14]
Map
Perimeters of wildfires in South Dakota during 2025 (Red: >1000 acres) (map data)

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Containment means that fire crews have established and secured control lines around the fire's perimeter. These lines are artificial barriers, like trenches or cleared vegetation, designed to stop the fire's spread, or natural barriers like rivers. Containment reflects progress in managing the fire but does not necessarily mean the fire is starved of fuel, under control, or put out.[10]

References

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  1. ^ Lim, Katrina (December 12, 2018). "A look back at the Legion Lake Fire one year later". KEVN. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  2. ^ "SD fire slows, but toll includes tanker crash". The Denver Post. Associated Press. July 2, 2012. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  3. ^ "War Creek - Wildfire and Smoke Mao". data.usatoday.com. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  4. ^ "Route 13 Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  5. ^ "2025-Route 13 Fire-SDCRA". InciWeb. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
  6. ^ "War Creek - Wildfire and Smoke Mao". data.usatoday.com. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  7. ^ "South Tripp Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  8. ^ "Thousands evacuated in 3 provinces as Canadian wildfires threaten air quality into some U.S. states". Retrieved October 5, 2025.
  9. ^ "Red Flag Warnings: What western South Dakotans should know". Retrieved October 5, 2025.
  10. ^ "What containment and other wildfire related terms mean". Los Angeles: KCAL-TV. September 12, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  11. ^ "Route 13 Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  12. ^ "2025-Route 13 Fire-SDCRA". InciWeb. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
  13. ^ "South Tripp Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  14. ^ "War Creek - Wildfire and Smoke Mao". data.usatoday.com. Retrieved July 27, 2025.


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