Oklahoma governor vows to rebuild charred home from wildfires that ripped through state killing 4
The wildfires that began Friday, fueled by high winds and dry conditions, have damaged more than 400 homes statewide, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management said. Some escaped with only the clothes they were wearing.
Among those impacted was Gov. Kevin Stitt, who took to social media on Saturday in a poignant video documenting the complete loss of his ranch near Luther while expressing his determination to rebuild.
"You never think it's going to happen to your place, and these wildfires just come out of nowhere and can really take over," he said.
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The video shows the charred remains of what was once his family's home. Stitt pans his camera to show his once basement, including a fire-damaged gun safe, and a lone standing chimney.
"This was my place. And total, total loss yesterday in the fires," he explains.
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A state of emergency remains in effect for 12 Oklahoma counties as the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirms four fatalities from the fires, with one death each reported in Lincoln, Garfield, Haskell and Pawnee counties. In addition to the loss of life, state health officials report more than 140 injuries.
"Heartbreaking day across our state," he said as he spent time with fire victims in Stillwater and Mannford on Saturday morning. "Neighbors were already out helping their fellow Oklahomans. That's what the Oklahoma standard is all about."
Footage captured in Stillwater showed homes engulfed in flames, as emergency management officials issued mandatory evacuation orders for several areas west of the city along State Highway 51.
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Videos also documented the impact on wildlife, with footage from Harper County Emergency Management showing herds of deer fleeing the flames, leaping over fences near Selman.
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Power crews have been working to restore power across the state. Currently, there are fewer than 1,000 outages statewide.
Windy and dry conditions will maintain the fire danger across most of Oklahoma on Monday and Tuesday, prompting the National Weather Service to issue Fire Weather Warnings across much of the central and southern Plains both days.Original article source: Oklahoma governor vows to rebuild charred home from wildfires that ripped through state killing 4
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