Massive fire engulfs North Dakota recycling plant yard, no injuries reported

A huge fire tore through the storage yard at Pallet Green Recycling in Williston, sending a heavy plume over the city and drawing multiple crews from across Williams County, but firefighters kept the blaze confined to the exterior area and no one was injured.

Williston Fire Chief Corey Johnson said the flames were contained to the business’s storage yard and were not expected to spread off the property. Crews first responded around 8:27 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on May 10, and extra water trucks were brought in because the site sits in a remote location. The Williston Fire Department, Williston Rural Fire Department, Williston City Fire Department and other area agencies all helped attack the fire.

The fire burned material tied to a business that assists with decontamination of chemical containers and recycling of wood pallets, which made the incident especially sensitive even as officials said there was no danger to the public. Authorities said it was still unclear whether any chemical residue was released from the burning material. The main building remained protected, but a large portion of the supply yard was destroyed.

The response reflected the scale of the potential risk. Officials said the fire was contained to the exterior storage area, a crucial detail for nearby residents and businesses watching the smoke rise over Williston. With the flames kept away from the main structure, crews were able to focus on preventing any spread beyond the property and limiting the chance of runoff or airborne contamination from the yard materials.

The cause remains under investigation. The episode comes as North Dakota is already moving through a prolonged spring fire season. State officials warned on May 8 that lower-than-average snowpack and below-average spring precipitation had raised fire danger across the west and north of the state, with burn restrictions and fire danger ratings in effect.

The Williston fire also recalls a similar blaze at Earth Recycling in Minot in May 2017, when smoke was visible for miles and the cause was never determined. That history underscores how recycling-yard fires can be difficult to pin down and how quickly they can disrupt operations when combustible stockpiles, industrial containers and limited water access collide.