WEDNESDAY OFS Fire Situation

It seems like a gift that we had a relatively quiet night on Tuesday. Who else tried to sleep half-dressed, with the bug-out bag ready and phone notifications turned on with the volume up? Most of the Luther Fire Department, meanwhile, camped out at the station until the “33 Road Fire” kicked up and triggered another evacuation notice for a wide area that dipped down into Oklahoma County. Without other major fires, a lot of fire departments focused on that one, quickly diminishing the concern and making a shortlived evacuation order. LFD sent a command, three brush trucks, and two tankers to that one while other units stayed on alert at the station.

The Oklahoma Forestry Service sent its Fire Situation email on schedule with today’s statewide outlook and update.

North-Central/Northeastern Oklahoma: The existing fires on the landscape will be significantly challenged today with critical to extreme fire weather including stout winds. Temperature in the 80°s with some sky cover and relative humidity values 17-27% will yield fine-dead fuel moisture at 3-4% this afternoon. South-southwest winds sustained 19-25 mph with some gusts over 35 mph will support extreme rates of fire spread and torching/crowing with spotting distances +/- 0.25 miles. Grass dominated fuels will support head fire rates if spread 220-356 ft/min (2.5-4.0 mph) and flame lengths 14-19 ft. Timber fuels will exhibit ROS 38-80 ft/min and FL 5-7 ft. The cold front will migrate over the area in the early morning hours potentially supporting rapid fire growth on the east and south flanks of any going fire.

Today: Red Flag Warning in effect today until 8:00 PM for most of Oklahoma. Critical to Extreme fire weather will develop early in the burning period with poor overnight moisture recovery in many areas of the state ahead of increasing southwest to west winds coupled with very dry fuels as relative humidity again falls below critical threshold. A dry cold front will migrate into the state in the early morning hours ushering in a shift to northwest winds topping High Wind Warning threshold and potentially explosive fire growth with extreme rates of fire spread. The highest concerns today are two-fold:

1) Existing fires will be challenged by critical fire weather with many of those fires in high-density population areas, and
2) Northwestern/Western Oklahoma where, there is a high probability of significant wildfire occurrence.

Outlook: On the heels of dangerous fire conditions today, dry conditions prevail through the week with elevated to near-critical fire weather fully anticipated. The next opportunity for any rainfall develops late in the weekend and is confined, at this time, to eastern Oklahoma. Extended range outlooks do not offer much optimism for relief pointing to above normal temperature and below normal rainfall in the 6-10 Day Outlook.

Fire Activity with OFS Response Outside of the Protection Area: 4 New Fires Burned 571.0 Acres

• Ranch Creek Road Fire (Pawnee County) – 513 Acres / 25% Contained
• 840 Road Fire (Roger Mills/Dewey County) – 27,855 Acres / 40% Contained
• Camargo Fire (Dewey County) – 5,725 Acres / 40% Contained
• Little Salt Creek Fire (Pawnee County) – 11,190 Acres / 25% Contained
• Hickory Hills Fire (Oklahoma County) – 6,643 Acres / 35% Contained
• 33 Road Fire (Logan/Payne Counties) – 32,990.6 Acres/50 Structures / 25% Contained
• 1980 Road Fire (Beckham County) – 2,000 Acres / 65% Contained
• Euchee Valley Fire (Payne County) – 8,512 Acres / 65% Contained
• Hellroaring Creek Fire (Pawnee County) – 10,186 Acres / 80% Contained

Resources

WATCH DUTY APP Many of us are using the Watch Duty phone application that helps with information on fires, and will send alerts for nearby fires and other alerts.

DONATIONS The Oklahoma Emergency Management Department has a valuable page of resources including verified giving options through GoFundMe and others.

GoFundMe Donate to individual families impacted by the fires, verified
CARE PORTRAL Donate to individual families impacted by the fires, verified by OKDHS and other non-profit agencies

Be a Neighbor is a resource offered by Oklahoma Human Services designed to connect Oklahomans in need with local nonprofits, faith-based groups, tribes and community organizations. Through the Be a Neighbor portal, you can search specific needs (food, clothing, housing, etc.) and find organizations in your local community offering those resources and services.

Shelters

The following American Red Cross shelters remain open for residents displaced by the fires:

• Luther Community Center, 18120 Hog Back Road, Luther
• First Methodist Church of Mannford, 100 E Greenwood Ave, Mannford
• Payne County Fairgrounds, 4518 Expo Circle East, Stillwater

Replacement SNAP Benefits

SNAP policy allows for the replacement of food purchased with SNAP benefits that was destroyed in a household misfortune such as a fire, tornado, or flood. The amount of the replacement must be for the amount of the food loss – not to exceed the amount of the monthly benefit issued to the household. This request must be reported within 10 calendar days of the loss of food and the loss must be verified.  The household must also sign (or verbally approve) an affidavit of loss which can be completed at an Oklahoma Human Services office or by calling our contact center at 405-522-5050.

• Destroyed food replacement request
• Find more SNAP support at OKDHSLive including how to replace a lost SNAP card. 

Fields Youngblood Water Well Drilling