PIERRE, S.D. (SDBA) — Wildfire risks are rising across the United States, and South Dakota is no exception.
While states like California often dominate headlines for urban wildfire disasters, a new federal government report says communities in South Dakota—especially those near wildlands—are increasingly vulnerable.
Recent data from the U.S. Forest Service’s Wildfire Risk to Communities platform highlights stark differences in wildfire risks across South Dakota, northwest Iowa, and southwest Minnesota. Western South Dakota communities like Custer, Spearfish, and Rapid City face significantly higher threats than their eastern counterparts. Custer’s wildfire hazard potential ranks higher than 92.9 percent of communities statewide due to dense pine forests and dry conditions. According to the report, Spearfish and Rapid City also show elevated risks, with Rapid City ranking above 92.2 percent of South Dakota communities.
These towns are particularly vulnerable, according to the report, because of their proximity to wildland-urban interface zones—areas where homes and infrastructure meet flammable vegetation. Fires in these zones can spread rapidly, endangering lives and property. The U.S. Forest Service stresses that preventing wildfires requires advance preparation, such as creating firebreaks around houses and building with fire-resistant materials.
In contrast, according to the report, Sioux Falls faces moderate wildfire risks—higher than 53.2 percent of U.S. communities but far below the levels seen in western South Dakota. Similarly, southwest Minnesota towns like Luverne experience lower risks due to agricultural landscapes that lack dense vegetation.
Surprisingly, Sioux City in northwest Iowa has one of the highest wildfire risks in the state—greater than 100 percent of other Iowa communities. According to the report, this elevated risk stems from grasslands and wooded bluffs along the Missouri River valley that can ignite during dry conditions.
South Dakota’s Indian reservations also face notable wildfire hazards. The Pine Ridge Reservation has moderate-to-high risk because of grasslands and wooded areas susceptible to ignition during droughts (Wildfire Risk to Communities Methods Paper, 2024). According to the Community Wildfire Defense Grants Data Tool, federal grants prioritize tribal areas like Pine Ridge for funding based on income levels and disaster affects.
Nationwide trends show wildfire seasons lasting nearly a month longer than they did two decades ago because of warmer temperatures and extended droughts, according to a 2024 USDA Forest Service white paper. These conditions are driving increased fire activity not just in traditionally high-risk states like California but also in regions like South Dakota.
The Wildfire Risk to Communities project underscores that wildfires are a growing threat nationwide—not just in western states—and encourages communities across South Dakota and the region to adopt mitigation strategies tailored to their local conditions.
