One year after Stillwater wildfires, city reports recovery progress and sweeping emergency upgrades

Officials detailed rebuilding numbers, $6.3 million in relief distributed, and a slate of new preparedness tools — including an emergency alert system that's awaiting final federal approval

Chris Peters

Mar 26, 2026 - 8 min read

Smoke billows across a wide swath of southwest Stillwater on March 15, 2025, one day after wildfires destroyed 98 homes and prompted a state of emergency declaration. The fires burned from McElroy Road to 80th Avenue and from Highway 86 to Western Avenue. – City of Stillwater

One year after Stillwater wildfires, city reports recovery progress and sweeping emergency upgrades — Smoke billows across a wide swath of southwest Stillwater on March 15, 2025, one day after wildfires destroyed 98 homes and prompted a state of emergency declaration. The fires burned from McElroy Road to 80th Avenue and from Highway 86 to Western Avenue. – City of Stillwater

One year after wildfires destroyed 98 Stillwater homes and scorched an estimated 28,000 acres, city officials presented the Stillwater City Council on Monday with a comprehensive account of what has changed — from how many families have begun rebuilding to the emergency communications upgrades designed to prevent a repeat of the chaos that unfolded March 14, 2025.

The presentation, delivered by a cross-departmental team of city leaders during the March 23 council meeting, painted a picture of a community still working through recovery while its government has moved urgently to strengthen preparedness for future disasters.

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