← North Dakota burn ban rules›Current Fire Restrictions

North Dakota Current Fire Restrictions (2026)

Conditional: North Dakota has no permanent statewide burn ban; restrictions come from local Fire Emergency Declarations and from federal orders, and federal restrictions expanded this week.

North Dakota has no permanent statewide burn ban; restrictions come from local Fire Emergency Declarations and from federal orders, and federal restrictions expanded this week. NEW: the Sheyenne Ranger District fire restriction order (Forest Order 01-18-00-26-06) took effect July 29, 2026 through December 31 on all National Forest System land in Ransom and Richland Counties — no campfires or stove fires, and no smoking except in a cleared area or inside a vehicle. Restrictions also run on the Cedar River and Grand River National Grasslands (Order 01-18-00-26-05, effective July 24, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. through December 31), and on the Little Missouri National Grassland (Order 01-18-00-26-02) campfires, smoking outside a safe area and driving on Prairie Two Track roads are prohibited automatically, county by county, whenever fire danger is High or above or a Red Flag Warning is in effect. On the state side a county, city, tribal council or the Governor must first issue a Fire Emergency Declaration under N.D.C.C. 37-17.1-10 before a local burn restriction is enforceable; a jurisdiction may then tie that restriction to the state Fire Danger Rating so it switches on and off automatically, or impose a flat ban. Status can change during the day — check the ND fire danger and burn restriction map and your county before burning.

Official source: ndresponse.gov →

Check the live restriction status: ndresponse.gov →

General legal information, not legal advice — verify important decisions with a licensed attorney.