By R.J. Boyle
In the early days or about thirty years ago, such a thing as a prairie fire especially in the fall of the year, was a very common occurrence, and at that time they were destructive as there were such large areas of unbroken stretches of prairie.
I have seen fires that burned for a continuous period of two weeks or until they were extinguished by rain.
At night during the fall it was common to see a string of fires, a distance of twenty miles unbroken along the grow of Katos (a range of hills) ten miles west of the town of Melville, North Dakota.
Whole towns would turn out on occasions when fire, swept by a northwest gale, would sweep down upon towns and railroads, as there was no gravel on the track at that time and long grass grew right up to the edges to trees. Hundreds of ties would be afire after fire had crossed and continued on its journey. It looked like a great torch light procession and employed many shovel and lots of dirt to smother the fire or it would strike on several miles at the same rate.
I had matches and I was unable to set the grass afire. But my effort was fruitless.
The fires in those days were truly exciting and lovely sight to see at night.
Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 90