Photo: Richland County
ABERCROMBIE, N.D. (KFGO) – A combine sparked a cornfield fire south of Abercrombie on Wednesday afternoon, burning roughly 35 to 40 acres and forcing the temporary closure of Highway 81, emergency officials said.
The fire began around 3 p.m. near the intersection of Highway 81 and 67th Street, approximately a half-mile south of Abercrombie. According to Richland County Emergency Management Director Brett Lambrecht, the flames jumped east across Highway 81 and spread into an adjacent cornfield that was partially harvested.
Emergency crews from five regional fire departments responded to extinguish the blaze, including teams from Abercrombie, Christine, Colfax, Walcott, and Breckenridge. First responders were joined on scene by personnel from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and Richland County Emergency Management.
Local community members also stepped in to assist emergency crews in containing the fire. At least three area farmers arrived with tractors and diggers, using the agricultural equipment to carve firebreaks into the soil and prevent the flames from spreading further across nearby cropland.
No injuries were reported in connection with the fire, according to Lambrecht.
Law enforcement temporarily blocked Highway 81 to allow emergency responders to maneuver safely. The highway was reopened to traffic late Wednesday afternoon as crews contained the fire and transitioned to mop-up operations to douse remaining hotspots.
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