A fast-moving wildfire burned through approximately 7,000 acres of South Dakota wilderness as of 5:15 p.m. Friday, March 13 (the older estimate was 5,000 acres), forcing residents to evacuate and prompting a multi-agency response across Custer County.  See more photos in the April issue of the South Dakota Firefighter.

Upcoming events for Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas

April 9-12, 2026: KSFFA Annual Conference, Manhattan.

   April 9, 2026: Region 2-Northern, Registration 5 p.m., meeting 6:30 p.m., dinner 7 p.m.

   April 9, 2026: Region 7-St. Croix Valley, Chisago City Fire Department, meal at 6:30 p.m., meeting starts at 7 p.m.

   Apr. 9, 2026: Scotts Bluff County Mutual Aid Association Meeting, Alliance.

   April 10-12, 2026: IaSFSI Instructor’s Conference at DMACC. Details: www.iasfsi.org/events.

   April 21, 2026: Region 14-South Central, Walters, registration/dinner at 6:30 p.m., meeting starts at 7:30 p.m.

   Apr. 24-26, 2026: Rushmore Fire Conference.

   April 25, 2026: Spring School, Volga, SD.

   April 26, 2026: Palo Iowa Fire Association Stephen Cook Memorial Breakfast, 8 a.m. to noon, free will donation, pancakes, eggs, hashbrowns and sausage, orange juice, milke and coffee, 2797 Creek Ridge Drive, Palo.

   April 27, 2026: Fire Service Day at the Capitol, 10-11 a.m. check-in.

   May 7, 2026: Region 3-Arrowhead, 5-5:30 p.m. Advisory Committee meeting, 5 p.m. registration, 6-8 p.m. meeting.

   May 8, 2026: Northeast Nebraska Volunteer Firefighters Association meeting, 7:30 p.m. in Scribner.

May 9-10, 2026: Fire School, Mitchell Co. Rural Fire District.

   May 15-17, 2026: 2026 Nebraska Fire School, Grand Island, NE.

   May 30, 2026: IFA Annual Golf Tournament, Waverly.

   June 9, 2026: Region 12-Minnesota Valley, Pemberton, meal served at 7 p.m., meeting starts at 7:30 p.m.

   June 11-13, 2026: 140th South Dakota State Firefighters Association State Fire School, Watertown, SD.

   June 13-14, 2026: 31st annual Iowa Firefighters Memorial Service, Coralville, IA.

June 13-14, 2026: Fire School, Caney, KS.

   June 27, 2026: Jim Stevens Memorial Ride, 9 a.m., Hot Springs Fire Hall.

July 11-12, 2026: Fire School, Harper, KS.

   July 9, 2026: Scotts Bluff County Mutual Aid Association Meeting, Banner County.

   July 16, 2026: Region 7-St. Croix Valley, Taylor Falls boat trip, meal at 6:30 p.m., meeting starts at 7 p.m.

   July 21, 2026: Region 14-South Central, Welcome, registration/dinner at 6:30 p.m., meeting starts at 7:30 p.m.

August 1-2, 2026: Fire School, Bentley, KS.

   Sept. 8, 2026: Region 12-Minnesota Valley, St. Clair, meal served at 7 p.m., meeting starts at 7:30 p.m.

   Sept. 9-13, 2026: IFA Convention, Manchester, IA.

   Sept. 10, 2026: Region 2-Northern, Registration 5 p.m., meeting 6:30 p.m., dinner 7 p.m.

Sept. 12-13, 2026: Fire School, Ellis County, KS.

   Sept. 17-19, 2026: MSFDA Annual Conference and Fire School, Breezy Point.

   Sept. 20, 2026: NSVFA Memorial Service, Nebraska Firefighters Museum and Education Center, Kearney, at 2 p.m.

October 3-4, 2026: Fire School, Coffeyville, KS.

   October 8, 2026: Region 7-St. Croix Valley, Dalbo Fire Department, meal at 6:30 p,m., meeting starts at 7 p.m.

   Oct. 8, 2026: Scotts Bluff County Mutual Aid Association Meeting, Bayard.

   Oct. 15-17, 2026: NSVFA Annual Conference, hosted by Dakota City Fire Department in South Sioux City.

   October 20, 2026: Region 14-South Central, Wells, registration/dinner at 6:30 p.m., meeting starts at 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 7-8, 2026: Fire School, Kingman, KS.

   Dec. 3, 2026: Region 3-Arrowhead, 5-5:30 p.m. Advisory Committee meeting, 5 p.m. registration, 6-8 p.m. meeting.

   December 5-6, 2026: Fire School, Council Grove, KS

   Dec. 8, 2026: Region 12-Minnestoa Valley, St. Peter, meal served at 7 p.m., meeting starts at 7:30 p.m.

   Oct. 14-16, 2027: NSVFA Annual Conference, hosted by Battle Creek Volunteer Fire and Rescue in Norfolk.

Blaze Publications, Inc.

Jeff Gargano - Editor
P.O. Box 122
Humboldt, IA 50548
jeff@blazepublicationsinc.com

News and Advertising: News and advertising deadlines are the 15th of each month for the next month's issue.

 

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