SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering financial and technical assistance to South Dakota farmers and livestock producers who may have been impacted by the recent winter storms.

“I encourage impacted producers to contact their local USDA Service Center to report losses and learn more about program options available to assist in their recovery from crop, land, infrastructure, and livestock losses and damages.” said Richard Fordyce, Production and Conservation Under Secretary.

FSA’s Emergency Conservation Program and Emergency Forest Restoration Program can assist landowners with financial assistance to restore damaged land and conservation structures or forests.

“Our staff will work one-on-one with landowners to make assessments of the damages and develop methods that focus on effective recovery of the land.” said Jessica Michalski, Acting NRCS State Conservationist in South Dakota.

For more information about the disaster assistance program, click here.

Copyright 2026 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.

By:Meghan O’Brien

PIERRE, S.D. (South Dakota Searchlight) — There’s a new name in the South Dakota Hall of Honor at the state Capitol building.

One-hundred-year-old South Dakota native and retired U.S. Navy Capt. E. Royce Williams was celebrated at a Wednesday ceremony where a plaque honoring him was unveiled, although Williams did not attend.

“In spite of being outnumbered and facing incredible danger, Captain Williams engaged the enemy with courage and skill,” said Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden. “Our state has always had a strong tradition of service, and Captain Williams is the very best of that tradition.”

President Donald Trump awarded Williams the Medal of Honor, the country’s highest military honor, at the State of the Union address earlier this year. The medal honors actions by Williams that had been classified for decades.

“His story was secret for over 50 years, he didn’t even want to tell his wife, but the legend grew and grew,” Trump said during the speech in February. “But tonight, at 100 years old, this brave Navy captain is finally getting the recognition he deserves.”

On Nov. 18, 1952, over Korean coastal waters during the Korean War, then-Lt. Williams, from Wilmot, South Dakota, led three F9F Panthers against seven Soviet MiG-15s. He disabled three enemy jets and damaged a fourth.

The Soviet jets, according to the U.S. Naval Institute, were “superior to the F9F in almost every fashion.” The mission was the only direct overwater combat between U.S. Navy fighters and Soviet fighters during the Cold War.

Williams, one of 11 Medal of Honor recipients from South Dakota, now lives in California. The Hall of Honor at the South Dakota Capitol is located in the hallway that visitors enter immediately after going through security.

Red Flag Warnings are in effect across parts of the central High Plains and adjacent Rocky Mountain region on March 25, 2026, as meteorological conditions support critical fire weather across portions of Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota, and nearby areas.

The National Weather Service (NWS) offices in Cheyenne, Riverton, North Platte, Rapid City, Billings, Missoula, Grand Junction, and Hastings issued multiple coordinated warnings covering numerous fire weather zones, with the most widespread period of concern from late morning through the evening hours. In several areas of Nebraska and Wyoming, warnings extend into March 26.

Sustained west to southwest winds of 25–65 km/h (15–40 mph), with gusts reaching 65–95 km/h (40–60 mph), are forecast across much of the region. The strongest winds are expected in parts of Wyoming and Montana, including mountainous and foothill areas, where gusts may locally reach 95 km/h (60 mph).

Relative humidity values are forecast to drop to between 10–20% during peak heating, with some locations reporting minimum values near 10–12%.

Temperatures are expected to rise well above seasonal averages, with highs reaching the upper 20s to low 30s °C (upper 70s to lower 90s °F) across parts of Nebraska, Wyoming, and surrounding regions. This combination of warm temperatures and dry fuels significantly enhances the potential for ignition and rapid fire spread.

The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) identified a Critical Fire Weather area in its Day 1 Fire Weather Outlook for parts of central and eastern Wyoming into far western Nebraska and extreme southwest South Dakota, citing a strengthening surface pressure gradient and strong mid-level winds contributing to sustained surface winds of approximately 30–40 km/h (20–25 mph) and relative humidity near 15%.

The fire weather threat is forecast to shift southward in the coming days. The SPC Day 2 outlook highlights critical fire weather conditions across central New Mexico into the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles and northwest Oklahoma, where low relative humidity and strengthening winds are expected to persist.

Additional hazards include the potential for isolated dry lightning, particularly across portions of western Nebraska and surrounding areas during the late afternoon and evening. Any lightning strikes in dry fuels may act as ignition sources, while associated outflow winds could lead to erratic fire behavior.

A cold front is forecast to move through the region late on March 25 into early March 26, bringing an abrupt wind shift from westerly to northerly directions with continued gusts of 30–70 km/h (20–45 mph). While cooler temperatures and slightly higher humidity may follow the frontal passage, the wind shift could exacerbate fire behavior in ongoing incidents.

Late March marks the beginning of the peak fire weather season across the central High Plains and adjacent regions, when dormant grasses and dry vegetation are highly receptive to ignition. Combined with frequent strong wind events and low humidity, this seasonal pattern increases the likelihood of fast-moving grassland fires.

Authorities advise against outdoor burning during the warning period, as even small ignition sources may lead to rapidly spreading fires under the prevailing conditions.

References:

¹ Mar 25, 2026 Day 2 Fire Weather Outlook – NWS – March 25, 2026

² Mar 25, 2026 Day 1 Fire Weather Outlook – NWS – March 25, 2026

³ Day 3-8 Fire Weather Outlook Issued on Mar 24, 2026 – NWS – March 24, 2026