Effective March 25, 2026, 6:45 p.m.
Amid rapidly drying conditions and increasing fire risk, the Jerauld County Commission has enacted a countywide burn ban.
Wessington Springs Fire Chief Eric Schroeder notified the True Dakotan just minutes before an emergency fire call was dispatched, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
Schroeder reminds residents to be mindful of outdoor activity and to call 911 if there is an emergency. Open burning is defined as an outdoor fire, including but not limited to campfires, warming fires, charcoal grill fires, fireworks or the burning of fence rows, fields, wild lands, trash and debris. This ban excludes fires contained within liquid fueled or gas fueled stoves, fireplaces within all buildings, charcoal grill fires at private residences and permanent fire pits or fire grates located on supervised developed picnic grounds and campgrounds. The burn ban is in effect until further notice.