South Dakota under high fire danger warning as severe drought grips much of state

• As of March 18, 2025, all of South Dakota is experiencing drought, with 42% facing severe or extreme conditions.
• Federal experts, who monitor various environmental factors, predict these conditions will persist for at least another month.
• The drought has significantly elevated fire danger levels in the state’s grasslands and Black Hills region.
• While drought affects 37% of the U.S., South Dakota stands alone as the only state entirely under drought conditions.

As of March 18, 2025, 100% of South Dakota is under drought conditions with 42% of the state under severe or extreme drought.

During the same time last year, 11% of the state was experiencing drought with no areas under severe or extreme drought. 

Each week, federal government drought experts check several variables including precipitation, temperatures, soil moisture, water levels in streams and lakes and snow cover to determine drought conditions. 

Experts predict that South Dakota drought conditions will persist for at least another month. 

With dry conditions and high wind gusts, the fire danger index has repeatedly been listed this season as very high for both eastern grasslands and the Black Hills area. 

While 37% of the U.S. is suffering from drought conditions, no other state is completely drought-ridden like South Dakota.

Currently, 55% of North Dakota is under a drought.