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Governor Armstrong Issues Executive Order Declaring Statewide Fire Emergency

By Alex Carmenaty Aug 10, 2026 | 8:50 AM

(KNOX) –Governor Kelly Armstrong issued last Friday an executive order declaring a statewide fire emergency. This activates the State Emergency Operations Plan as drought conditions and wildfire risk have persistently grown across North Dakota.

The U.S. Drought Monitor report says the state’s drought conditions have increased from under 2 percent three months ago to over 56 percent now.  Roughly 33 percent of the state is in a moderate drought and 23 percent is in a severe drought. 36 percent of the state is in a drought that is considered abnormally dry. The National Weather Service believes there will be above-average temperatures and below-normal precipitation this fall.

All state agencies are being instructed to be ready to combat fires. The North Dakota Forest Service and state Wildland Fire Task Force have already responded to wildfires this summer and they project that they will be responding to fires this fall.

The executive order is in effect until December 1st.

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