Wildfire outbreak threatens Oklahoma towns as extreme fire conditions persist: Recap

Yahoo

15-03-2025

Editor's note: This page reflects weather updates on Friday, March 14. For the latest updates on wildfires and damage caused by extreme winds and smoke, please read The Oklahoman's live coverage on Saturday, March 15.
Oklahoma firefighters have responded to a staggering number of fires on Friday caused by high wind from a historic weather system that led to fast-moving, dangerous wildfires that led to evacuations, burned homes and traffic accidents.
The wildfire threat will continue overnight and into the weekend, and the long-range forecast indicates a risk of critical fire weather through next week.
The powerful low-pressure system racing across the United States reached the central plains on Friday, bringing heavy winds gusting up to 60 to 70 mph to Oklahoma, which created a critical-to-extreme risk of wildfire, the National Weather Service said.
The NWS has issued fire warnings for portions of Oklahoma on Friday due to wildfire conditions and weather patterns. Oklahoma residents are urged to stay aware of their surroundings and be prepared to evacuate if requested by the authorities.
7:55 p.m.
Langston University has been evacuated, according to Oklahoman reporter Murray Evans.
Evans was at the NAIA women's basketball tournament when officials told everyone to leave. Firefighters are battling several fast-moving wildfires in the area.
-Dale Denwalt
6:40 p.m.
Several large and complex fires are still burning in Oklahoma, forcing residents to be aware of their surroundings and be prepared to evacuate.
Several fires near Lake Carl Blackwell, west of Stillwater, caused disruptions to travel and triggered some evacuations.
Repeated flare-ups in western Oklahoma near Camargo and Leedey also forced residents to evacuate.
In Cleveland County, areas east of Norman and around Lake Thunderbird were evacuated.
Authorities in Oklahoma City were still responding to multiple fires in the metro area Friday evening.
The threat of fires will continue overnight even though the wind is expected to die down. The wind has also caused damage to structures and power lines. Make sure your mobile device is configured to receive emergency alerts and stay clear of emergency vehicles.
Air quality across much of the state is poor to hazardous. Blowing dust and smoke have obscured roadways, leading to several injury accidents. Remain indoors if you can.
-Dale Denwalt
6:10 p.m.
A massive cloud of dust is being blown into northwestern Oklahoma, according to the National Weather Service.
Air quality in that part of the state is currently listed as "hazardous." Stay inside if you can.
-Dale Denwalt
6:05 p.m.
The first round of the NAIA women's basketball tournament at Langston University has been delayed at least one hour. The games were scheduled for 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
The school's athletic director just told fans at the arena that they should shelter in place while officials determine whether it's safe to continue playing tonight.
-Murray Evans
5:46 p.m.
The Norman Police Department is urging residents in the following areas to evacuate immediately:
120th Ave SE to Lake Thunderbird between Rock Creek & Franklin Rd
Etowah to SH-9 between 84th Ave SE & 144th Ave SE
Full evacuation and shelter information for the area can be found here.
-Dale Denwalt
5:38 p.m.
Oklahoman photographers were out in force on Friday, documenting the wildfire outbreak that hit the state. See photos and videos here:
-Dale Denwalt
5:29 p.m.
Heavy winds have calmed somewhat across the state, but still remain high enough that the wildfire threat remains.
5:00 pm - Winds have come down slightly from their peak, but we have still seen numerous 50-60 mph wind gusts. These will continue for the next several hours before dropping toward 30-40 mph after 8 pm.
Posted by US National Weather Service Norman Oklahoma on Friday, March 14, 2025
-Dale Denwalt
5:19 p.m.
Another fire has been reported northeast of Oklahoma City near Chandler.
The NWS issued a fire warning five miles north of Chandler. The blaze is moving rapidly northeast. Affected areas include Highway 18 north of Chandler, Parkland, and Kendrick.
-Dale Denwalt
5:09 p.m.
Authorities have spotted a fire three miles west of Oilton in eastern Payne County.
The fire is moving rapidly northeast. Affected areas include rural areas southeast of Yale.
-Dale Denwalt
4:59 p.m.
Oklahoman photographer Sarah Phipps is reporting that authorities have evacuated vehicles from State Highway 51 on the south side of Lake Carl Blackwell.
Fire has jumped over the road near Meridian Road, Phipps said.
-Dale Denwalt
4:50 p.m.
Heavy wind and blowing dust has led to at least 25 flight delays and 20 cancelations at OKC Will Rogers International Airport.
Check your flight status before heading to the airport.
-Dale Denwalt
4:47 p.m.
NWS issued a Fire Warning over Norman for parts of Pottawatomie and Cleveland counties.
Numerous wildfires were discovered burning at 4:37 p.m. from the east side of Moore, Lake Thunderbird, Bethel Acres and Pink. Fires are said to be moving northeast 3 to 5 mph.
The affected areas include eastern Cleveland County and west central Pottawatomie County.
Residents in the area should be prepared to evacuate quickly if requested by local emergency management officials.
-Josh Kelly
4:37 p.m.
The Oklahoma Mesonet, a network of weather monitoring stations across the state, is reporting that it has seen more severe wind gusts of at least 58 mph today than at any other time in its 30-year history.
More than 50 Mesonet sites have reported severe wind, which, on Friday, fueled dozens of large, dangerous wildfires in Oklahoma.
-Dale Denwalt
4:27 p.m.
Oklahoma Forestry Services have reported a wildfire southwest of Chickasha, moving in a direction toward the city.
The fire is located two miles from Chickasha and is moving rapidly northeast. Residents in the area should be prepared to evacuate. Do not drive into smoke and follow instructions from local authorities.
-Dale Denwalt
4:22 p.m.
The National Weather Service stated a "powerful dust storm" is moving through the area. This dust will reduce visibility and be harmful to those with respiratory issues.
NWS advises those in the area to consider using mouth coverings before heading outside this evening.
The Air Quality throughout Oklahoma ranges from moderate danger to 'Hazardous' levels in northwestern Oklahoma.
-Josh Kelly
4:09 p.m.
After battling a fire that sparked just before 3 p.m., the Edmond Police Department posted on Facebook that the fire department has been able to contain all fire.
Though the fire is contained, EFD is still on the scene and they ask that drivers still avoid the area.
-Josh Kelly
4:04 p.m.
A wildfire has been reported three miles east of Guthrie, moving rapidly northeast.
The fire will affect southeast Guthrie, areas along I-35 and Langston, according to the NWS. Anyone in this area should be prepared to immediately evacuate if requested.
-Dale Denwalt
4:02 p.m.
According to Poweroutage.us, across the different utility providers in Oklahoma, a total of 74,996 customers were without power on Friday. Roger Mills County nears the highest with roughly 55% of the county without power.
This site states that Oklahoma County is also experiencing 13,430 outages currently.
-Josh Kelly
3:48 p.m.
This is a list of fire warnings issued by the National Weather Service and Oklahoma Forestry Services as of 3:40 p.m. These indicate dangerous wildfires where residents are being advised to prepare for an evacuation if requested:
Velma - two miles southeast
Meridian/Arcadia - three miles south of Meridian
Camargo - west of the town
Orlando - three miles east
Lake Thunderbird/Norman - several fires and a large evacuation area
Leedey - evacuated Friday afternoon
Pawhuska - five miles west
Southern Osage County - south of Skedee
-Dale Denwalt
3:38 p.m.
A wildfire has been spotted two miles southwest of Velma in Stephens County. Velma is east of Duncan.
The fire is moving northeast, so residents of Velma should be prepared to evacuate if requested.
-Dale Denwalt
3:32 p.m.
Firefighters are responding to a dangerous wildfire five miles west of Pawhuska. According to the National Weather Service and Oklahoma Forestry Services, the fire is moving rapidly northeast.
The Pawhuska Airport and Pearsonia are affected. Smoke and fire will present a threat to life and property.
The Osage Nation said its offices will be closed on Friday due to high winds, power outages and wildfires.
NOTICE | Effective immediately all Osage Nation offices are closing due to high winds, power outages and wildfires. Be cautious and drive safe!
Posted by Osage Nation on Friday, March 14, 2025
-Dale Denwalt
3:24 p.m.
A wildfire near Camargo in western Oklahoma's Dewey County is moving rapidly, and the NWS has issued a fire warning.
This area is north of Leedey, which was evacuated earlier today.
Anyone in this area should be prepared to evacuate immediately.
-Dale Denwalt
3:23 p.m.
A dangerous and fast-moving wildfire has been spotted west of Stillwater, just southeast of Lake Carl Blackwell. The fire is moving northeast with the wind.
As with any fire today, be prepared to immediately evacuate if requested by emergency personnel. Make sure your phone is configured to allow emergency alerts.
3:00 - A dangerous wildfire is just southeast of Lake Carl Blackwell and moving rapidly northeast. If you live just west of Stillwater, be ready to evacuate immediately.
Posted by US National Weather Service Norman Oklahoma on Friday, March 14, 2025
-Dale Denwalt
3:01 p.m.
After experiencing a day of high winds and high fire risk, Rose State College closed early at 3 p.m. The school said all programming would be closed by 3 p.m.
-Josh Kelly
2:57 p.m.
The wildfires popping up around Oklahoma today are being noticed by specialized NASA satellites that monitor fire outbreaks.
The Fire Information for Resource Management System, also known as FIRMS, is used to highlight significant fires in real-time.
In this image, the location of fires can be seen as red splotches.
-Dale Denwalt
2:39 p.m.
Almost 33,000 OG&E customers are reporting outages throughout their system as of 2:34 p.m. The majority of outages have affected Oklahoma and Cleveland counties.
Oklahoma County is reporting 14,455 while Cleveland reports 5,786 customers affected.
According to the city's utility department map, a few water outages occurred on Friday. Since 8:30 a.m., three different outages have begun in Nichols Hills, Warr Acres and Edmond.
Based on previous reports from officials, they website's report of 446 impacted customers is an estimate and could be more or less.
Water is currently expected to be off until 5:30 p.m. at the latest.
-Josh Kelly
2:34 p.m.
The National Weather Service in Norman has issued a Fire Warning for eastern Payne County.
A dangerous wildfire was located 5 miles south of Yale, moving rapidly northeast at 3 to 5 mph. The affected area is between Cushing and Yale.
Pay attention to emergency alerts and be prepared to evacuate immediately if requested.
A dangerous wildfire has been spotted three miles southeast of Meridian. A fire warning has been issued for southeastern Logan and northwestern Lincoln Counties.
-Dale Denwalt
2:24 p.m.
Downed power lines have closed all lanes of Interstate 240 between Western Ave. and May Ave. in south Oklahoma City.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is diverting traffic off of the interstate.
-Dale Denwalt
2:23 p.m.
An evacuation order has been issued for the north side of Lake Thunderbird in the vicinity of 108th and Tecumseh Road. Residents are directed to evacuate to the Little Axe Recreation Center.
-Dale Denwalt
A fire warning has been issued for areas north and east of Arcadia. Residents should be prepared to evacuate if requested by emergency officials.
144 PM - A Fire Warning has been issued for areas near and to the north and east of Arcadia. Be prepared to evacuate if requested by local officials.
Posted by US National Weather Service Norman Oklahoma on Friday, March 14, 2025
-Dale Denwalt
Officials have issued an evacuation notice for areas south and east of Lake Thunderbird and Norman in rural Cleveland County due to wildfire.
The evacuation area is along and east of 108 St. to 132 St., north of Post Oak Road to State Highway 9.
Residents are being told to evacuate to the Little Axe Recreation Center or Cross Point Church.
-Dale Denwalt
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is responding to several accidents around the state caused by extreme wind gusts. The state has also suspended any transportation of oversized loads.
Use caution when driving today, especially if you have a tall vehicle.
-Dale Denwalt
The newest reports out of the National Weather Service Norman station report that the capital city is seeing an increase in fire threats. Several portions of Oklahoma, from Lawton to Woodward and Ponca City, have an escalated fire danger.
It is expected to expand over the next several hours to Southeastern parts of Oklahoma, including Ada.
Further, the station reports that with blowing dust, visibility has lowered to one-quarter to one mile and issued a blowing dust advisory. This is in place until 9 p.m.
-Josh Kelly
Officials with the town of Leedey are advising residents to evacuate the area after the NWS issues an immediate evacuation. They are encouraging families to meet in Hammon at the Oklahoma FEMA Gymnasium for safety.
-Josh Kelly
OG&E's outage map reports over 6,000 outages in Oklahoma and Cleveland counties as of 12:54 p.m.. The map updates every 10 minutes.
Oklahoma County is experiencing 5,512 outages, while Cleveland is seeing 936. The utility service reported over 8,000 outages at 12:54 p.m.
Other counties now include Blaine, Carter, Canadian, Creek, Grant, Le Flore, Lincoln, Muskogee, Okmulgee, Noble, Payne, Seminole, Sequoyah and Woods counties are also experiencing at least one customer without power.
-Josh Kelly
OG&E's outage map is slowly reporting more customers without power on Friday. The outage map, which updates every 10 minutes, currently shows over 2,000 customers without power.
By county, Oklahoma County is reporting the most affected customers, with 1,443 customers experiencing an outage as of 11:54 a.m. It is unknown if these are related to the strong winds throughout the state.
Pottawatomie County is reporting 509 customers affected by four outages currently.
In addition, Muskogee, Lincoln, Creek, Seminole, Cleveland, Canadian, Carter, Blaine, Woods and Grant counties are also experiencing at least one customer without power.
If you lose your power at any point during the day, here's how you can still remain safe.
-Josh Kelly
Multiple fires were actively burning in the eastern half of the state Friday, including at least one new fire that began this morning.
A fire broke out at 10:25 a.m. near Barnsdall, according to the Wildland Fire Interagency Geospatial Service. It's reported to be taking place over an acre of land with an undetermined cause.
The NWS issued a Fire Warning over parts of Roger Mills and Dewey counties at the request of Oklahoma Forestry Services. They discovered a "dangerous wildfire" near Angora moving rapidly northeast at 3 mph.
The state remains under a High Wind Warning from the National Weather Service until 8 p.m. tonight. Westward winds are between 40 and 50 mph, with 70 mph gusts.
-Josh Kelly
In a post on Facebook, the Oklahoma City Fire Department told residents to be prepared for chances of high fire danger on Friday. They cite the dry vegetation, low humidity and wind gusts of 60-70 mph as factors.
"Just one spark could ignite a fast-moving wildfire," the department said.
The agency listed ways residents could stay alert and help prevent the spread of wildfires. These include securing outdoor items, properly disposing of cigarettes and having an emergency plan in place.
If you spot a fire, alert first responders by calling 911.
-Josh Kelly
Track the latest wildfire and smoke information in Oklahoma with data that is updated frequently based on input from several incident and intelligence sources.
If you can't see the map below, please click here.
The National Weather Service issues a number of alerts to advise the public about high wind events.
High Wind Warning: This alert is issued for sustained, strong winds with even stronger gusts that require people to take action. In these situations, make sure you have shelter from loose objects like branches or weak structures. If you are driving, keep both hands on the wheels and slow down.
High Wind Watch: Weather watches are meant to urge residents to make preparations for severe events. During a high wind watch, sustained, strong winds are possible. Secure loose outdoor items and adjust plans as necessary so you're not caught outside.
Wind Advisory: Although a wind advisory doesn't carry the same urgency as other alerts, it still means that strong winds are occurring. Objects that are outdoors should be secured and caution should be taken if driving.
Dust Storm Warning: This secondary effect of heavy winds gets an alert when visibility of half a mile or less due to blowing dust or sand, and wind speeds of 30 miles an hour or more.
Red flag warnings are delivered when an area experiences a combination of warm temperatures, very low humidity and strong winds. According to the NWS, these three factors can increase the risk of fire.
During red flag warnings, NWS advises that the affected areas be 'extremely careful' with open flames. They state that if you are allowed to burn in your area, all burn barrels should be covered with a weighted metal cover with holes no larger than three-quarters of an inch.
The following is not advised during a red flag warning:
Throwing cigarettes, matches, etc., out of a moving vehicle as it may ignite the dry grass
Leaving flames unattended
Throwing live charcoal on the ground
Preparing for a wildfire is the best way to respond to one. Having an emergency plan and staying notified by news outlets and government agencies can prevent you from playing catch-up in quick-reaction moments.
But even if you haven't had the time to prepare, here's how to respond to a wildfire.
Recognize warnings and alerts. Know what each alert and warning means, whether they are high wind warnings or air quality warnings.
Contact first responders. Notifying 911 will ensure that responders are on the scene as quickly as possible, reducing the spread to surrounding areas.
Listen to local authority recommendations. Local authorities will notify the public of how best to respond to the event. In the meantime, learn evacuation routes and alternates, as the roads may be filled with first responders.
If you are outside trying to leave by road, be sure to follow the first responder's recommendation if they are present. If they are not, while always trying to leave with haste, be sure not to cause further damage or risk to those around you.
If you find yourself in a vehicle evacuating, the USDA recommends these tips while driving:
Turn on your headlights and hazard lights. This will notify other drivers of a hazard and give you more light while you drive.
Drive slowly. While the tip may indicate slow travel, it doesn't mean you should drive as slow as possible. Rather, drive as needed.
Close or block air vents. By doing so, you will block any debris or smoke from entering through the vents.
Roll up windows. Similar to the air vents, this will prevent debris and smoke from entering the vehicle.
Use recirculated air from the air conditioner. Doing so will provide clean air in the vehicle to be used as opposed any harmful air from outside.
Use dry materials to over your face and skin. Doing this will provide a natural filter for you to breathe through.
While severely warm weather can worsen a wildfire spread, most are the result of human behavior. In fact, nearly 85% of wildfires in the U.S. are caused by humans, according to the National Park Service.
With its wide acres, rural areas and inconsistent weather patterns, Oklahoma is prone to grass fires. Forestry and safety experts offer several guidelines for residents on how to avoid starting a fire, which can often breakout from just one wrong spark.
Avoid using welding equipment.
Never drive on a flat tire.
Extinguish cigarettes completely before properly disposing of them, and never throw them outside of a window while driving.
Avoid parking on dry grass or dragging chains behind your car.
More: How to help Oklahoma residents impacted by the fires
Keep up with school, church and event closings using the link below.
Oklahoma City Severe Weather Closings: Schools, churches, other services
Oklahoma City Severe Weather Closings: Schools, churches, other services
Tweets by NWS Norman
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Evacuations, power outages in Oklahoma as wind, fire persist: Recap