Dozens of homes burn as fires scorch Texas, Okla.Fire crews in Oklahoma and Texas raced Thursday to control wind-whipped wildfires that destroyed dozens of homes, forced evacuations and shut down parts of a major highway.
Howling wind that had gusted to more than 50 mph grounded firefighting efforts by air in Oklahoma and drove blazes that scorched neighborhoods like "a war zone," Midwest City police Chief Brandon Clabes said.
The blaze blackened vehicles and destroyed about 25 homes in the suburb southeast of Oklahoma City, Clabes said, adding that a fire had erupted at a broken natural gas line.
"The wind is the biggest issue, because we can't get ahead of the fires," Midwest City Fire Marshal Jerry Lojka said. The National Weather Service said wind gusts topped 40 mph by Thursday evening.
Some residents in the eastern part of the city were told to head to a community center. The Lincoln County town of Sparks, which has about 150 residents, was also told to evacuate because of a large wildfire.
In Lincoln County, a firefighter suffered major burns and was taken to an Oklahoma City hospital, Chandler Emergency Management Director Larry Hicks said.
He said some crews already helping with blazes were being redirected because "there are fires everywhere."
"We've got fires breaking out where they've already been put out," he said.
Tricia Smith, who left her home in Midwest City, said the fire engulfed parts of her neighborhood.
"We thought we were safe, but in 30 minutes the fire went everywhere," she said.
Most of the state was under high wind warnings and red flag warnings, which indicate extreme fire danger, and the eastern half of the state was under a tornado watch.
Near Lindsay, about 55 miles south of Oklahoma City, 12 homes were destroyed and 20 more were being threatened, said Eric Johnson, Purcell's city manager. At least six homes and one church burned to the ground in Carter County and the number of destroyed properties was expected to rise, said Chester Agan, county assistant emergency management director.
Interstate 35, the state's main north-south highway, was closed in the county as well as in Payne County, where at least 12 agencies were battling a blaze estimated at five to six miles wide, said Kirk Mittlestet, emergency management director for Stillwater. Wind-whipped grass fires in western Oklahoma also closed State Highway 152.
Near the Oklahoma state line, firefighters in Texas battled a nearly 8-square-mile wildfire near Electra that destroyed two large commercial buildings and forced the evacuation of about 800 residents and a nursing home, according to the Texas Forest Service.
Crews also were fighting a 6-square-mile fire that destroyed three homes east of Archer City, about 90 miles northwest of Fort Worth. Residents near Breckenridge were evacuated when a nearly 5-square-mile fire threatened an apartment complex, the forest service said.
Montague County Judge Ted Winn said as many as 10 fires were raging across northern Texas, where winds were reported at about 60 mph. A fire at Lake Mineral Wells State Park in Parker County that destroyed one home and threatened 50 others was being spread by 40 mph winds, county spokesman Joel Kertok said.
He said another blaze in four Hudson Oaks subdivisions that destroyed four structures was 90 percent contained, and residents who had been evacuated were allowed to return home.
Lewis Kearney, another Forest Service spokesman, said fires also were reported in parts of the northern and central Texas counties of Hamilton, San Saba, Brown, Jones, Palo Pinto, Hood and Cooke. More than 93 percent of the state was under some stage of drought, according to a U.S. Drought Monitor map released Thursday.
Wild Fires Across South Central Oklahoma
Multiple fires going on during Thursday.
In Love County, evacuations started early Thursday afternoon on the western side of Oswalt Road... Near Wade and Pike Roads.
No structures burned yet, but there are some in danger. Another fire, two miles north of Marietta.
And two along Interstate 35, as well.
The situation in western Carter County is very serious, with an explosion at the Champion Chemical plant, and another at a propane distributor, also on fire.
We've also confirmed a fire in the Fox/Graham area... The Graham Fire Department itself caught on fire.
The First Baptist Church in Fox also burned.
Fire Damage "Worse Than May 3rd"
Updated: Wednesday, April 9, 2009, 9:45 p.m.
Authorities in Lindsay say at least 11 homes have been destroyed in a fire burning along State Highway 76.
Purcell Emergency Management officials say 12 to 15 square miles were burned.
OHP reports several roads are still closed in southern Oklahoma including State Highway 76 from Ratliff City to Healdton in Carter County, I-35 from Exit 51 to Exit 55 and State Highway 7 from I-35 to Hennepin in Murray County and State Highway 74 from State Highway 7 to State Highway 29 in Garvin County.
Residents in Velma are now being allowed to return to their homes.
Updated: Wednesday, April 9, 2009, 8:54 p.m.
Fires continue to burn in Choctaw. Parents searching for their children should go to shelters set up at 2nd and Main St., the downtown library or the Junior High auditorium at 3rd and Main.
A shelter has been set up at Eastland Hills Baptist Church at SE 29th and Hiwassee Road. The New Community Church at I-40 and Anderson road is also taking evacuees.
Purcell officials have set up a shelter at the fire department at 1505 N. Green Ave.
Updated: Wednesday, April 9, 2009, 7:55 p.m.
Midwest City fire crews say about 100 homes have been destroyed or severely damaged in Midwest City. Firefighters have reportedly stopped fighting individual house fires to concentrate on getting grass fires contained. Midwest City Police officials say this is probably the worst disaster in the city's history, even worse than the May 3, 1999 tornadoes. So far, no serious injuries have been reported.
Updated: Wednesday, April 9, 2009, 6:50 p.m.
Fires have burned across the state forcing numerous evacuations.
Oklahoma City residents between SE 120th and SE 149th from Anderson Road to Henney Road are being evacuated to the north and west of that area.
Midwest City Residents from SE 15th to NE 10th have been asked to evacuate to the Midwest Community Center at 100 N. Midwest Blvd. Residents can also go to the Choctaw Library.
Residents in Grady County between Bradley and Lindsay are being asked to go to Alex School.
Residents between the Grady County/Garvin County line and Lindsay are being asked to evacuate east to Lindsay.
Several homes in Meridian in Stephens County, along with a nursing home and animal hospital have been evacuated.
Homes have burned near Wellston and the town of Sparks was evacuated late Thursday afternoon.
A large grass fire shut down parts of Interstate 35 near Highway 51. At last check, that fire was burning about 25 miles wide.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol has advice for those driving near the fires that are sparking across the state.
Captain Chris West with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol is advising drivers to stay away from those areas. He says if you see smoke, head the other direction.
OHP officers are also doing what they can to help. They are located at numerous sites throughout Oklahoma.
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