Keith
01-08-2006, 02:32 PM
Firefighters jump into action to battle wildfires
http://www.newsok.com/tempimages/j7edmondfire1.jpg
By The Associated Press
MEEKER -- Two Jacktown volunteer firefighters were injured Saturday afternoon while trying to escape a fast-moving wildfire in Lincoln County that burned about 100 acres and threatened several structures.
The two volunteers, whose names weren't immediately released, were taken to a nearby hospital with cuts after they were thrown from the back of fire trucks trying to escape the flames.
The blaze briefly trapped one Meeker Fire Department brush truck in the fire, scorching its door and melting plastic from a side-view mirror.
"I could feel the heat of the fire coming up through the bottom of my pant leg," said Meeker firefighter Matt Willis, who was on the back of a truck spraying water on the fire.
Firefighters across the state jumped into action Saturday afternoon, with more than 20 wildfires reported to a state command center in Shawnee.
"We've had 21 fires reported to us today, and there are probably more that we don't know about yet," said Mark Bays, an information officer at the command center.
A large grass fire broke out near an elementary school in north Edmond and quickly swept into an adjacent field, fueled by dry conditions and wind gusts up to 25 miles per hour.
There were no immediate reports of structure fires or injuries, but the fire moved toward the Oak Tree Country Club golf course and a neighborhood of new homes. Trent Hancock, who works at the club's pro shop said he could see flames and smoke as the fire crept toward the property.
"We've got the sprinklers on, and we went out on the course and cleared everyone from the area," Hancock said.
One of the largest fires was a blaze near Sayre in western Oklahoma that had destroyed 1,000 acres by Saturday afternoon. Two separate 300-acre fires were reported near Tulsa, Bays said.
"Under these fire conditions and the winds blowing like this, I wouldn't say any fire is contained," Bays said.
Additional fire crews were sent to Shawnee, Stillwater, Bartlesville, Ada and Ardmore to prepare for additional grassfires, while Oklahoma City fire crews geared up with nine extra brush pumpers.
"The potential for fires is everywhere," Oklahoma City Fire Maj. Brian Stanaland said. "We're hoping everyone will cooperate with the burn ban and not do things like throw cigarettes out of their car windows."
Gov. Brad Henry expanded the statewide burn ban Thursday -- in effect since Nov. 15 -- to prohibit campfires and outdoor charcoal grilling. The expanded ban also includes stricture requirements on outdoor welding.
The Oklahoma City Fire Department battled about 900 fires in 2005 and expects to exceed that number for 2006, if the dry weather conditions persist, Stanaland said.
"We fought 43 fires last Sunday alone," he said. "This has just been unbelievable."
A red flag warning indicating extreme fire conditions was issued on Saturday for Oklahoma. High winds and unseasonably, warm temperatures created prime grassfire conditions, Ken Gallant, National Weather Service meteorologist, said.
"Today is going to be one of the more critical days," Gallant said. "We have no precipitation and humidity is at less than 20 percent."
Temperatures on Saturday were expected to reach the 80s in some parts of the state with wind gusts ranging from 15 to 40 mph, Gallant said.
"The light rains that we're expecting on Monday will be helpful, but it won't be enough to stop the fires," he said. "We're going to need a significant amount of rain to do that."
Statewide, grass fires have killed two people, burned across 363,341 acres and destroyed more than 220 homes and businesses since Nov. 1.
PRAY FOR RAIN......
http://www.newsok.com/tempimages/j7edmondfire1.jpg
By The Associated Press
MEEKER -- Two Jacktown volunteer firefighters were injured Saturday afternoon while trying to escape a fast-moving wildfire in Lincoln County that burned about 100 acres and threatened several structures.
The two volunteers, whose names weren't immediately released, were taken to a nearby hospital with cuts after they were thrown from the back of fire trucks trying to escape the flames.
The blaze briefly trapped one Meeker Fire Department brush truck in the fire, scorching its door and melting plastic from a side-view mirror.
"I could feel the heat of the fire coming up through the bottom of my pant leg," said Meeker firefighter Matt Willis, who was on the back of a truck spraying water on the fire.
Firefighters across the state jumped into action Saturday afternoon, with more than 20 wildfires reported to a state command center in Shawnee.
"We've had 21 fires reported to us today, and there are probably more that we don't know about yet," said Mark Bays, an information officer at the command center.
A large grass fire broke out near an elementary school in north Edmond and quickly swept into an adjacent field, fueled by dry conditions and wind gusts up to 25 miles per hour.
There were no immediate reports of structure fires or injuries, but the fire moved toward the Oak Tree Country Club golf course and a neighborhood of new homes. Trent Hancock, who works at the club's pro shop said he could see flames and smoke as the fire crept toward the property.
"We've got the sprinklers on, and we went out on the course and cleared everyone from the area," Hancock said.
One of the largest fires was a blaze near Sayre in western Oklahoma that had destroyed 1,000 acres by Saturday afternoon. Two separate 300-acre fires were reported near Tulsa, Bays said.
"Under these fire conditions and the winds blowing like this, I wouldn't say any fire is contained," Bays said.
Additional fire crews were sent to Shawnee, Stillwater, Bartlesville, Ada and Ardmore to prepare for additional grassfires, while Oklahoma City fire crews geared up with nine extra brush pumpers.
"The potential for fires is everywhere," Oklahoma City Fire Maj. Brian Stanaland said. "We're hoping everyone will cooperate with the burn ban and not do things like throw cigarettes out of their car windows."
Gov. Brad Henry expanded the statewide burn ban Thursday -- in effect since Nov. 15 -- to prohibit campfires and outdoor charcoal grilling. The expanded ban also includes stricture requirements on outdoor welding.
The Oklahoma City Fire Department battled about 900 fires in 2005 and expects to exceed that number for 2006, if the dry weather conditions persist, Stanaland said.
"We fought 43 fires last Sunday alone," he said. "This has just been unbelievable."
A red flag warning indicating extreme fire conditions was issued on Saturday for Oklahoma. High winds and unseasonably, warm temperatures created prime grassfire conditions, Ken Gallant, National Weather Service meteorologist, said.
"Today is going to be one of the more critical days," Gallant said. "We have no precipitation and humidity is at less than 20 percent."
Temperatures on Saturday were expected to reach the 80s in some parts of the state with wind gusts ranging from 15 to 40 mph, Gallant said.
"The light rains that we're expecting on Monday will be helpful, but it won't be enough to stop the fires," he said. "We're going to need a significant amount of rain to do that."
Statewide, grass fires have killed two people, burned across 363,341 acres and destroyed more than 220 homes and businesses since Nov. 1.
PRAY FOR RAIN......