Fire damages Nature Park
April 14, 2026
By Josh Linehan
The Brookings Beacon
BROOKINGS — Bone-dry conditions and high winds led to another fire in Brookings County on Sunday, this time along the southern edge of the Dakota Nature Park.
According to Brookings County Fire Marshal Jared Runge, the Brookings Fire Department responded to a call about the blaze just before 1 p.m. on Sunday.
The grass at the southern edge of the park, along 32nd Street South, caught fire and burned approximately 6.6 acres and damaged the fence before crews were able to extinguish it.
Brookings County Commissioners put in place a temporary burn ban for the county at their April 7 meeting.
Despite some rain and snow last week, the county remains dry and a steady parade of grass and structure fires — often reignited by high winds — led the commission to pause burning for the foreseeable future.
The burn ban passed on a 4-1 vote.
Runge said the Sunday blaze at the Nature Park spread rapidly because of strong winds and dry grass conditions.
6.6 acres of grass and the fence along 32nd Ave. were damaged during a Sunday fire near the Dakota Nature Park.
“The Brookings Fire Department reminds the public to use caution during dry and windy conditions, as fires can ignite and spread quickly,” Runge wrote.
Dakota Nature Park was evacuated during the incident, and 32nd Street South was temporarily closed to allow emergency responders to safely manage the situation. The city put out an alert on social media to ask the public to steer clear of the park.
According to Runge, the Brookings Fire Department responded with three brush trucks, two tenders, and three chief officers, totaling 18 personnel on scene. The Brookings Police Department and the Brookings County Sheriff’s Office also responded for traffic control and to help secure the surrounding area.
The fire is believed to have been accidental, Runge said, though it is still under investigation. No injuries were reported and no damage estimate was immediately available.
Dakota Nature Park remained closed the rest of the day while crews monitored the area for any possible flare-ups.
Two different wildfires are currently burning more than 15,000 acres in West River South Dakota, south of Rapid City. Wildfires in Nebraska have caused a state of emergency state wide with poor air conditions and massive shortages of livestock feed.
Linehan is the Beacon’s managing editor and welcomes story tips and comments at BrookingsBeacon@gmail.com