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Damage Assessment Begins After Oklahoma Fires

Staff and Wire Reports

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Damage assessment will begin today after wildfires damaged more than 100 homes and other structures across the state.

The fires started Thursday afternoon in central Oklahoma and burned through the night.

"Anytime you have high winds and low humidity it's just the perfect storm for wildfires, and that's what's happening here," state Emergency Management Director Albert Ashwood said. "The bottom line is we've had several wildfire outbreaks."

The State Department of Health reports that 62 people were injured in the fires including a firefighter.

The firefighter was battling a blaze in Lincoln County and was hospitalized in Oklahoma City. A driver who lost control of a vehicle on a smoke-covered road in Stephens County was also hospitalized with serious injuries, Ashwood said.

Fires Rage Across Oklahoma

Other injuries ranged from minor to moderate, an EMSA spokesperson said.

State and local officials will begin surveying damage Friday morning, Gov. Brad Henry said.

"We are doing everything we can to deliver resources to firefighters and first responders on the front lines," Henry said in a statement. "Our state emergency management and agriculture department personnel have been helping coordinate the state response in cooperation with local authorities.

"We have also been in contact with federal authorities to make sure we have all available resources necessary to respond to this emergency."

At least 100 homes or structures were damaged in Midwest City, a suburb of Oklahoma City, Fire Marshal Jerry Lojka said. The same fire also damaged homes in nearby Choctaw and Nicoma Park.

Velma-Alma Schools and Choctaw Nicoma Schools are closed due to fire damage.

Near Lindsay, about 55 miles south of Oklahoma City, 13 homes were damaged or destroyed, said Eric Johnson, the city manager of Purcell. The homes were located between Lindsay, in Garvin County, and Purcell, in neighboring McClain County.

In Stephens County, at least 14 homes and five businesses were destroyed in the town of Velma, officials said. Three of the homes were near the towns of Meridian and Loco, Sheriff Wayne McKinney said.

At least six homes and one church were destroyed in Carter County in southern Oklahoma, said Chester Agan, assistant emergency management director for the county. He also said the number of destroyed homes was expected to rise as more information came in.

Shelters:

• Alex: Alex Public School, 209 S. 2nd
• Blanchard: Midway Southern Baptist Church, 22489 Oklahoma Highway 76
• Choctaw: Choctaw High School, 14300 N.E. 10th St., and Choctaw Library, 2525 Muzzy St.
• Duncan: Duncan Community Center; Stephens County fairgrounds, 2002 S. 13 St.
• Healdton: First Baptist Church, 107 S. 4th St.
• Marietta: First Methodist Church, 603 W. Main St., Turner School, near Main St.
• Midwest City: Midwest City Community Center, 100 Midwest Blvd.
• Nicoma Park: First Baptist Church, 1931 Nichols Dr.
• Purcell: Purcell Fire Department, 1505 N. Green Ave.
• Wellston: First Baptist Church, 812 Birch St.

See infrared sattelite from the National Weather Service of hot fire points across Oklahoma.

Check out the Oklahoma Department of Transportation Pathfinder for street view cameras all over the state.