VALLEY CITY, N.D. — As severe weather warnings moved across the region Monday night, Aug. 18, some Barnes County residents heard sirens sound, leading many to believe a tornado was approaching.

Emergency managers confirmed the sirens were not for weather but for a fire call.

“The rule of thumb is if you hear a loud siren while you’re outside, there is some threat to safety nearby,” a regional emergency official said, though several officials noted the type of threat can vary from county to county.

“I was getting viewers calling in, saying, ‘Hey, the sirens are sounding. What’s going on?’” said Jesse Ritka, WDAY chief meteorologist.

At about 6 p.m. Monday, northeastern Barnes County saw reports of 60 mph wind gusts and quarter-sized hail. On the other side of the system, sirens were hea

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