Two years ago in September 2024, the Power Dam Road Fire swept through the White River, South Dakota (SD) region, leaving behind lost equipment, destroyed fences, and scorched earth to the tune of 15,000 acres. Two years later, producers recall their stories and report improved forages post-burn. Although it only takes something small to start a fire, the amount of ground the fire covered was massive, blackening over 15,000 acres. What began with a spark from a power pole turned into a fast-moving blaze pushed by 50 miles per hour (mph) winds with gusts up to 75 mph. Eastern Red Cedar trees ignited easily, and hearing over the radio that the fire had blown across the river and shortly after crossing back again, locals knew they were in trouble. At the time, only one fire truck was positioned at the origin point, protecting three different houses while the wind continued to shift unpredictably.

Once winds calmed, passenger planes that had been retrofitted as fire units moved in and dropped fire retardant. Within 24 hours of steady conditions, the active fire subsided.  Firefighters from all over the area and different parts of the country came to White River to help quench the initial blaze and monitor the aftermath to prevent the fire from re-igniting. Ranchers experienced the kindness of their neighbors, including fences being cut to allow livestock to escape, and helping feed them hay bales as all grazing forage was lost where they were prior. One producer found their cattle standing in the middle of the river. There was very little moisture in the remainder of the fall and winter immediately following the fire and every time there was wind it almost looked like fire being burned again with the soot flying around. In some draws you could find drifts of soot that were nearly two feet deep. 

At a recent Power Dam Road Fire Tour in White River put on by the South-Central Resource Conservation and Development Council (South Central RC&D), producers across the region shared stories of loss and recovery. Although producers are encouraged to let the land rest after a fire, grazing a piece of ground all together can have adverse effects as well. Doctor Kevin Sedivec, a Range Science Program professor from North Dakota State University, explained that some grazing pressure after a fire (after adequate resting) is better than leaving the land untouched as it encourages growth of new plants, noting that wildflowers have five times the minerals of grass.

Ken Risseeuw, retired from the ranch that is now operated by his grandson Rogan, said his family lost a machine shed including one baler and two drills. Prior to the fire, the Risseeuws established new fencing and water tanks because of their Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) contract. Rogan said the newly established fence was still close to 100% intact after the fire due to using steel braces. After the fire they replaced a small number of the new wood posts (an estimated 5 of the 130), as most of them did not burn due to the creosote treatment being fresh/wet. All the older fence posts and braces burned in the fire. The new watering tanks were saved due to having gravel around them being recently placed, reporting only tanks with vegetation or made of plastic were lost in the fire. He is thankful to his neighbors for opening gates for his cattle to escape the fire.

After the fire, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) assisted the Risseeuws with cross fencing while utilizing the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) using all steel with four strands of barbed wire, where the only wood used is for gate posts. A deferred grazing incentive was provided by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). A positive lining to the story is that 90 percent of the cedar trees on their property were eliminated. The fire missed their home by 200 yards, and the ranch lost 3,500 acres of summer pasture. Rogan said, “the hay in general was really poor this year. There was one field that burned. We let half of it rest for 2025 and then in 2026 it produced the most hay per acre in relation to the rest of the fields that we grazed or hayed in 2025. There were a lot of wildflowers. Big patches of cone flowers I had not noticed in years past.”

Local landowner Bob Hutchison, whose grandparents settled on the land in 1916 after traveling from Kansas, described his land after the fire as looking like the moon. Nearly everything burned, except for one small 20-acre patch out of 500. He recalled watching the fire hit a fence line and follow the wooden posts across his property. Hutchison allowed his land to rest for nearly two years before resuming grazing, and that patience paid off (see photo comparison showing the positive impact of deferred grazing following a burn). Bob has seen an influx of native grasses and wildflowers this year in comparison to others. Cedar trees were cleared, grasslands revived, and native forbs flourished along fence lines. Hutchison credits local NRCS and FSA staff for helping with his plan for fencing and assisting with costs and coverage. 

Hutchison and Risseeuw both credit local NRCS staff for assistance in the aftermath of the fire. Local Tribal Liaison for the Prairie Resource Unit, Mary Scott, said “Working together with the FSA, BIA, and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe was critical in this situation to identify those immediate resource concerns that needed addressed and discuss available assistance.  It was important to be available for the producers to answer their questions and provide information in their time of need.  Time was spent sitting with the producers, out on the land and in the office, listening to their stories of what they went through with the fire.  Although it was difficult, due to the severity of this massive fire, there were discussions about how fire can be used as a management tool and what good could come through all of this in the long term.  Today, many of those producers are thankful for the guidance through this very trying time for them.  With the proper management, the scarred land bounced back and provided its beauty of colorful, native prairie flowers and lush, green grass.  Once again, they are reminded just how resilient the land and the people are!”

One commonality of all producers and community members involved was stepping into action to help others without being asked. “It was pretty amazing watching everyone come together, it was fast too, that night all hands-on deck, you could go up town to find water, or they had crews sending out water and Gatorade for the fire fighter crews helping,” said Rogan Risseeuw. Today the White River landscape is a living reminder that despite destruction, recovery is possible. The NRCS is committed to helping any producer with conservation planning needs post fire or otherwise. If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of a controlled, prescribed fire (unlike this scenario), reach out to your local service center. The Power Dam Road Fire tested the land and the people, but both emerged revitalized, proving that patience, restoration, adaptive management, and neighborly support can turn devastation into renewal. 

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