Apr 23, 2026
High winds and extreme drought conditions ignited at least 11 separate wildfires across the Western Corn Belt and Sandhills on Wednesday.
The largest blaze, the Andrews Fire in Nebraska’s Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest, has chared 2,500 acres with zero containment as of Thursday morning. Neighboring South Dakota also faced multiple outbreaks, including the 350-acre Murphy Fire near Hermosa.
Ranchers are reporting significant infrastructure damage, with barns and miles of fencing lost in the fast-moving flames.
In a show of community resilience, South Dakota cattlemen have already begun shipping hay convoys to affected neighbors in Nebraska to help feed displaced herds.