Wildfire — Jones, South Dakota

2025-07-26 to 2025-07-27 · Jones, South Dakota

Event narrative

A volunteer firefighter from Murdo died in a single vehicle rollover four miles north of Draper in Jones County as he was driving a 1989 Ford Fire Tender to the fire 15 miles south of Fort Pierre.

Wider weather episode

Lightning would spark a wildfire in northern Jones County. The fire would go on to consume 2250 acres at $75,000 in fire suppression costs. No structures were damaged/destroyed in the fire, which was primarily limited to prairie grassland and pasture. A firefighter responding to the blaze was killed in a vehicle accident.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1268703. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.