Crews battle grass fires in central Oklahoma on Tuesday

Firefighters are working to put out several grass fires in Oklahoma.

KINGFISHER:

1. OHP: Closures: Reeding Road (aka N2940) and OK 74F //Near Kingfisher-Logan County
2. Southeastern part of the district
3. NWS at 3:25 p.m.: Evacuation order for Twin Lakes residents. A dangerous forest fire occurred 3 miles north of Cashion and was rapidly spreading north at 2 to 3 miles per hour. Evacuate to the gas station at Highways 33 and 74.
4. In Twin Lakes, several Logan County sheriff's deputies are working to evacuate residents
5. This fire burned four houses and several barns.

SE PAYNE COUNTY, CUSHING

The location is in southeastern Payne Co. near Cushing and the Lincoln Co. line.

According to OHP, OK-33 between Reeding Road (N2940) and OK-74F (Kingfisher-Logan County Line) is now open as of 6 p.m

All lanes of eastbound and westbound SH-33 between SH-18 and SH-99 in Cushing, Payne Co. are now open.

Immediate evacuation requested by CUSHing Emergency Management

Distributed by National Weather Service Norman OK: Tuesday, October 29, 2024 2:32 p.m. (CDT).

The National Weather Service in Norman issued an advisory in response to a request from the Cushing Emergency Manager for southeast Payne County.

Immediately evacuate areas east of Cushing due to wildfires.

A large wildfire is threatening areas from the intersection of Highways 33 and 99 east of Cushing, north to southeast of Yale. Residents of this area should leave the area immediately and travel either east or west. Don't drive in smoke!

Crescent FD lost one of its command cars in the fire. Everyone is outside and safe.

EDMOND

Edmond Fire confirms they are working to extinguish a grass fire near Interstate 35 and Covell Road.

Authorities are closing Sooner Road at Coffee Creek to prevent drivers from driving south into the fire zone.

St. Luke's Methodist Church in Edmond (900 N. Sooner Road) is open and available to residents who have been evacuated due to the grass fires here and need shelter until the fires are under control. This is temporary accommodation for these residents.

This fire is under control.

LINCOLN COUNTY

The Lincoln Co. Fire Department is requesting assistance from Eastern Oklahoma Co. fire departments like Harrah during a major callout near County Road 980.

The National Weather Service in Norman has issued a fire warning for western Lincoln County at the request of Lincoln County Emergency Management.

* At 3:58 p.m. CDT, a dangerous wildfire was spreading 4 miles south of Wellston near Highway 102 and was quickly moving north.

* Evacuation Area…Areas along and near Sunset Drive, Summer Tree Lane and up to County Road 970…these areas should be evacuated.

*Additional Information: Avoid Highway 102. Do not drive into smoking areas.

The Wellston Senior Center opens its doors to any evacuees in need.

This is a developing story. Refresh this page for updates.

BURNING PROHIBITIONS

Fire danger is high in northeastern Oklahoma early in the week as drought conditions worsen and wind gusts reach speeds of more than 40 miles per hour.

A burn ban is in effect for 44 counties, including Kingfisher, Logan and Grady counties. For more information, visit the Oklahoma Forestry Services website.

Deputy firefighters will enforce a zero-tolerance open burning policy during the burn ban. Violations are punishable by a fine of up to $1,200 and/or six months in prison.

Outdoor burning – including controlled burns, campfires, fire pits and fireplaces – is prohibited under the burn ban. Grilling and welding on a non-flammable surface are permitted.

In southwest Oklahoma, a wildfire continued to rage Monday in parts of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, where officials estimate more than 12,000 acres have burned and the fire is less than half contained.

Fortunately, relief is in the forecast with rain and showers possible several times this week starting Wednesday.

Which counties in Oklahoma have a burn ban? (October 28, 2024)

1. Ottawa
2. Delaware
3. Mayes
4. Novata
5. Rogers
6. Washington
7. Fuhrman
8. Cherokee
9. Adair
10. Tulsa
11. Bach
12. Payne
13. Logan
14. Noble
15. Kay
16. Grant
17. Logan
18. kingfisher
19. McIntosh
20. Haskell
21. LeFlore
22. McCurtain
23. Pushmataha
24. Choctaw
25. Hughes
26. Money
27. Atoka
28. Bryan
29. Pontotoc
30. Garvin
31. Fuhrman
32. Marshall
33. Love
34. Stephens
35. Jefferson
36. Grady
37. Caddo
38. Cotton
39. Kiowa
40. Tillman
41. Kiowa
42. Greer
43. Jackson
44. harmony

Overview of the ban on burning

Burn bans in Oklahoma enforced by state law prohibit all outdoor burning activities to reduce the risk of wildfires. According to the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, bans are determined by both immediate and long-term weather forecasts, wildland fuel conditions, current fire behavior and recent fire events.

County Commissioners Notification Process

County commissioners in Oklahoma must follow certain steps to issue a burn ban. Upon adoption of a burn ban order, they must notify the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture's Division of Forestry by emailing [email protected]. The department will not accept fax copies and decisions received by 4:00 p.m. will be posted on the Oklahoma Forestry Services website the same day. Resolutions submitted after this point will be published the following day. Additionally, county officials must notify local news media, law enforcement and relevant state departments, including the Department of Public Safety, the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department and the Department of Wildlife Conservation.

Duration of the burning bans issued by the district

According to the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, a burn ban issued by county commissioners is effective for a maximum of 14 days from the date of adoption. If a significant fire risk continues, follow-up decisions can be made and must follow the same reporting procedures. A ban on burning can also be lifted in a similar procedure.

Types of burn bans

Oklahoma allows two types of burn bans: county-issued and governor-promulgated. Under state guidelines, a burn ban issued by the governor supersedes county-issued bans and may affect multiple counties or the entire state.

Criteria for issuing a ban on burning

For bans issued by the county, county commissioners work with local fire chiefs to determine the need. According to the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, a county burn ban is justified when there is an extreme fire threat, defined by conditions such as severe or extreme drought, limited rainfall forecast or frequent wildfire events. When available, the data also provides an indication of whether a significant percentage of local wildfires were caused by debris spills or controlled burns.

Burn bans issued by the governor that cover larger regions are recommended by the Oklahoma Forestry Services based on extensive data on fuel conditions and fire behavior in wild areas that exceed the criteria used for county-level bans.

Enforcement and penalties

Burn bans issued by counties impose fines of up to $500, up to a year in prison, or both for those convicted of violations. These decisions are made by a vote of the county commissioners. Burn bans issued by the Governor, approved by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Forest Service, may remain in effect until conditions improve. Violations of the burn bans issued by the governor are punishable by fines of up to $1,000, imprisonment for up to one year, or both. The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry says law enforcement agencies throughout the state are responsible for enforcing both types of burn bans