Fire Crews Battle Widespread Oklahoma Wildfire

Wildfire in central Oklahoma is 60 percent contained

APOKlahomaWildfire

 

SHAWNEE, Okla. (AP) — Dry conditions plus blown-down trees from a tornado several years ago in central Oklahoma are fueling a wildfire that continues to burn Wednesday morning. No structures have been lost and no one has been hurt.

Oklahoma Forestry Services spokeswoman Michelle Finch-Walker says the fire was about 60 percent contained as of Wednesday morning. It’s burning near Shawnee, or about 30 miles southeast of Oklahoma City.

So far, the fire has burned about 140 acres in the area. Finch-Walker says officials are still investigating what sparked the blaze, but it appears to be “human-caused” because there were no signs of natural causes, such as a lightning strike.

See also  NTSB Ask Helicopter Manufacturers to Install ‘Black Boxes’

Finch-Walker says the fire is expected to keep burning within the perimeter created by firefighters for several days, until the next rains occur.

Raw: Crews Battle Widespread Oklahoma Wildfire

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics

Newslettter

Subscribe to Our Monthly Newsletter

Stay in the loop with our wildland newsletter.

Wildfire in central Oklahoma is 60 percent contained   SHAWNEE, Okla. (AP) — Dry conditions plus blown-down trees from a tornado several years ago in central Oklahoma are fueling a wildfire that continues to burn Wednesday morning. No structures have been lost and no one has been hurt. Oklahoma Forestry Services spokeswoman Michelle Finch-Walker says […]

Get The Wildland Firefighter Newsletter

Related Articles

Californians Urged to Prepare Now for Fire Season

Californians Urged to Prepare Now for Fire Season

Darrell Smith - The Sacramento Bee SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Californians must fortify their homes against the ongoing threat of wildfire home by home, neighbor by neighbor and community by community. That’s the message state and local fire authorities are working to...

Wildfire in Sheridan County (ND) Injures Two Firefighters

Wildfire in Sheridan County (ND) Injures Two Firefighters

BRAD NYGAARD and BLAKE NICHOLSON The Bismarck Tribune, N.D. (TNS) Two firefighters were injured while helping battle a wildfire in Sheridan County over the weekend, and one of them was flown to a Twin Cities burn hospital. The blaze Saturday also destroyed a wildland...

Evacuations Ordered for McDowell County (NC) Wildfire

Evacuations Ordered for McDowell County (NC) Wildfire

The McDowell News, Marion, N.C. (TNS) Firefighters were on the scene of a wildfire in northern McDowell County Tuesday afternoon. Evacuations were ordered for the area around the fire. As of 4:15 p.m., emergency personnel were managing the fire on Armstrong Creek...