(NAFB) – North Dakota rancher organizations are collecting donations, supplies, and labor to assist ranchers in the northwest part of the state who were devastated by wildfires in October.

An estimated 120,000 acres were burned up by wildfires last month, with high winds of up to 78 miles per hour helping the fires to tear through the region. The damage was immense, with farmers and ranchers losing many head of cattle, stored feedstocks, fences, gates, hayfields, and crop fields. They also lost farmsteads, pastures, outbuildings, farmhouses, and equipment.

“The investigations we are handling are ongoing and remain in the beginning stages,” says North Dakota State Fire Marshall Doug Nelson. “Early indications suggest no evidence of intentionally set fires at the scenes we have responded to.” He also says an official cause of origin report will be available when the investigation is complete. That usually takes between one to two months to wrap up.