NORTH DAKOTA (KXNET) — North Dakota Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer, along with Congressman Kelly Armstrong, released a statement today in support of Governor Doug Burgum's request for a federal major disaster declaration after the October 5-6 wildfires. The delegation urged President Joe Biden to approve Gov. Burgum’s request, which would use federal resources to support recovery and disaster mitigation in areas that were affected by the fires, including McKenzie and Williams counties. The statement reads: Burgum requests presidential major disaster declaration after wildfires “Nearly 150,000 gallons of water from nearby Lake Sakakawea were used to contain the fires, which burned approximately 120,000 acres of land and resulted in excess of $8 million in damages. While North Dakotans are extremely resilient, these historic wildfires have deeply impacted the agricultural community and electrical infrastructure. The loss of livestock, structures, equipment, and the destruction of shelterbelts and windbreaks will take years to recover from… We support the State’s request and urge you to approve it as soon as possible so the necessary Federal resources can be made available to North Dakotans.” The full letter the delegation wrote to President Biden can be found here. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Today's Top Stories SIGN UP NOW