MANDAREE, ND (KXNET) — Hope and gratitude. That's what many in Mandaree are feeling as the ongoing Bear Den fire missed the town of Mandaree. While one home was lost to the fire, the fire never went directly into the town which would have cost many their homes. Mandaree resident Bill Demaray says that while the fire never hit his neighborhood, he was concerned that he might have to evacuate, despite never receiving an evacuation notice. "When I seen the smoke, it looked really big, like it was close to our house. I almost felt like evacuating right then and there but then as I got to my house, I saw how far it was and they didn't call evacuation on us yet," said Demaray. Another local, Korolyn Fox, says the proximity of the Bear Den fire is what scared her the most, facing the fact that the fire might be coming her way. "I initially thought it was the fire closer to Four Bears and Thunder Butte, but then come to find out, it was Bear Den and it scared me because it was hitting close to home and it was heading our way," said Fox. Wildfires: Status updates Oct. 8 However, locals say that the sudden and quick response of the firefighters in the area put people in the community at ease. "It made me safe. It made my women feel safe cause we saw all these water trucks, all these tankers, everything, everybody willing to do their dues," said Demaray. This is just one of many areas that wildland firefighters have contained since Monday and have successfully stopped the Bear Den fire from moving up the region. While the Bear Den fire was caused by Mother Nature herself, Mandaree's residents still want people to be self-aware so similar fires don't happen out of carelessness. "Just be aware of your surroundings. Right away, I thought the fire might have started from someone throwing a cigarette out you know? Something small people just kind of being careless," said Fox. As of Tuesday morning, the Bear Den fire is 30% contained and the flames are still raging on the outer western part of Mandaree. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Today's Top Stories SIGN UP NOW