Over 130 fires in 44 counties burned about 170,000 acres in Oklahoma on Friday, according to Gov. Kevin Stitt. Current estimates state that there were over 300 homes and structures destroyed, along with four deaths and at least 142 injured.
Fires burned well into Saturday in the Chandler area, according to Chandler Fire Chief Bobby Buchanan, with the department out keeping a close eye on possible flare-ups until about 8 or 9 p.m. He wasn’t 100 percent sure just how many fires they responded to on Friday, but said the biggest was up north - what they’re calling the 3406 Fire. It burned about 1,600 acres and destroyed one home, but threatened more. They evacuated around 20 homes in the area and were worried about two subdivisions near it. “Fire conditions were extreme, probably the most extreme I’ve seen in my career over 20 years in the fire service. When we get 50, 60 mile an hour winds, and I think we dropped to 8 percent humidity that day. So fires were pretty dramatic once they got started,” he said.
Buchanan said the risk of wildfires will remain pretty high until mid April and recommended that people look around their property and make sure to keep trees and grass trimmed and the area clear. That way, should there be a fire, the department has no obstacles to fight it.
He also recommended having a plan with your family on how to get out of a burning home and where to meet once outside.
“These wildfire situations are something that need to be pre-planned as well, as far as, you know, being able to seek refuge somewhere, if you are displaced from your home. The things that you need, you know, have those readily available,” he said.
Lincoln County Emergency Management Director Charlotte Brown estimated there could be upwards to around 10,000 acres burned over the weekend in the entire county. They only started assessing damage recently, as it was too dangerous to get into some areas.
There were well over a dozen fires, with Brown saying at one point, she looked at the 911 board and counted 16. This didn’t include the fires that had happened before or after. Additionally, there was a point when there were five to six large-scale fires going on at the same time. Brown said the fire that happened in the Merrick fire district was 5,102 acres.
“And then just to think outside the scope of Lincoln County,OklahomaCounty,LoganCounty,PayneCounty, Pawnee County, Pot County, everybody was in the exact same situation that we were in Lincoln County,” she added. “So, outside resources were not a thing because everybody in every county, they were rallying to help their citizens in every way possible.”
All 18 fire departments in the area were out, including volunteer and junior firefighters. Brown said she’s proud of all the first responders.
“I had EMS services staging, and they would call me with reports,” she said. “If it wasn’t for the coordination of all the first responders, not just firefighters, but our EMSservices,ourmunicipal emergency managers, our law enforcement, Friday would have been a lot more difficult than it was.” While Emergency Management was busy trying to assess the damage and help families who’ve been displaced, they were also gearing up for more high fire risk the rest of the week.Another Red FlagWarning was put in place for Monday and Tuesday.There were several small fires on Monday, however they were quickly put out thanks to rapid response. Brown said they are also accepting donations, like food,waterandpre-wrapped snacks. She recommended that people bring saline eye drops and chapstick. They often go through both rather quickly when out on calls and need especially the drops to help with swollen eyes.
Chandler resident Alysse Beattie was already preparing for potential fires in the week to come. She said she thought she was prepared last week, but when the moment came, she wasn’t. Beattie was in an evacuation area north of the town, though she left her home before the official order was given.
“We were here and actually looked outside. And there was this massive amount of smoke that looked like it was closer,” she said. “It’s been one of the worst I’ve ever heard of in this area. I mean, my dad was a firefighter when I was growing up, and he’d never talked about anything quite like this.”
She said she didn’t know how close the fires got to her home, which was the hardest part when everything was happening.
“We had so many fires around us, and then, but we’re also getting smoke from like the big fires over like in Arcadia, so it was really difficult to tell exactly where it was coming from,” she said.
Her mind was already on making plans for the animals she had to leave behind on Friday should there be more fires on Monday or Tuesday.
“I need a plan to be able to get them all out of here. At least to try to get as many as I can,” she said.
Local representatives shared their thoughts and prayers with the community.
“The devastation in our state is unimaginable, and I grieve and pray alongside those who are suffering, especially with the family who lost their loved one,” Sen. Green said. “These fires have tragically destroyed homes, displaced families, lives and have left a lasting impact on us all.”
Rep. Jim Shaw also expressed condolences for the Ferguson family and thanked first responders.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to the first responders, firefighters and volunteers who have worked tirelessly to protect lives and property. The resilience and generosity of our community has been evident in the way neighbors have come together to support one another in this time of crisis,” he said.