Woodward, OK – Elk City firefighters were deployed late Tuesday afternoon to assist with a dangerous wildfire near Woodward as part of the Beckham County Task Force.
The deployment came as fire warnings and red flag conditions fueled multiple wildfires across western Oklahoma, burning more than 155,000 acres statewide. Evacuations were issued Tuesday in Beaver, Texas, and Woodward counties as strong winds and extremely low humidity created dangerous fire conditions.
Two wildfires near Woodward have since been contained and evacuation orders in that area were lifted. However, evacuation orders remained in place for the town of Tyrone in Texas County as of 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Numerous structures were destroyed in Woodward, Texas, and Beaver counties, including two USDA facility buildings. Four firefighters were injured while battling the flames across Oklahoma. Officials have not released information on where the injuries occurred or which departments were involved.
The National Weather Service in Norman issued a Red Flag Warning in effect from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday for much of western, northern, central, and southwestern Oklahoma, including Beckham County. A Fire Weather Watch remains in effect from Thursday morning through Thursday evening.
Forecast conditions include southwest winds of 15 to 25 miles per hour with gusts up to 40 miles per hour Wednesday, shifting west to northwest Thursday with similar gusts. Relative humidity is expected to drop as low as 10 to 15 percent Wednesday and 7 to 12 percent Thursday, with temperatures reaching up to 75 degrees Wednesday and 60 to 70 degrees Thursday.
Fire officials warn that any new fires could spread rapidly under these conditions. Residents are urged to avoid all outdoor burning, including controlled or debris burns. Cigarettes and smoking materials should be disposed of properly and never thrown from vehicles. Trailer chains should be secured to prevent sparks, and vehicles should not be parked in tall, dry grass. Any activity that could produce heat or sparks outdoors should be postponed.
Officials stress that conditions like these allow fires to spread quickly, threatening homes, property, livestock, and lives in a short amount of time.
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