(BISMARCK, ND) – Fire officials say a wildfire in western North Dakota was started accidentally.
In a report released Monday, officials with the North Dakota State Fire Marshal’s Office said that, based on data collected, the area of the origin of the October 6 fire was located at or near the area between the tree line and roadway, with high winds in the area causing a tree to come into contact with an energized distribution line. That caused the dry natural fuels to ignite, and the fire began to spread.
The fire was between Ray and Tioga, and burned more than 30,000 acres.
A spokesman for the Fire Marshal’s Office says officials are still waiting on the report for the fire that started near Zahl along Highway 85.
