Wildfires pick up in Oklahoma
Untitled
Texas fires easing after burning a million acres
BORGER, Texas (AP)--Strong winds that have pushed wildfires across nearly a million acres of the bone-dry Texas Panhandle were easing early March 16, but in Oklahoma, the fire danger was picking up.
A series of wind-whipped grass fires broke out March 15 in Oklahoma, charring more than 4,000 acres and briefly threatened homes near Oklahoma City.
In the morning March 16, most of the state was under a red flag warning--meaning a critical danger of fires--because of the dry air pushing into the region and the forecast of 20 to 25 mph winds, the National Weather Service said.
In Texas, where 50 mph wind gusts had swept a line of flames toward six Panhandle cities March 15, the winds had shifted by the morning of March 16 and dropped below 10 mph.
"Right now, the fire is contained," said Lipscomb County Sheriff's dispatcher Jay Johnson, whose office had urged nearly 3,000 residents in the far northern county to evacuate the day before. "The wind has shifted and they've lit a backfire to get the fire burning back on itself."
Authorities said the fires had traveled as far as 40 miles to the northeast March 15.
Eleven people have died, more than 840,000 acres have burned, and animal health officials have estimated the number of dead horses and cattle at 10,000.
Gov. Rick Perry is scheduled to tour the area March 16.
In Oklahoma, already under a burn ban because of fire outbreaks in recent months, 14 fires raged March 15 from near Lawton, in the southwest, to west of Tulsa in the northeast, said Dale Armstrong, a fire information officer.
The largest of those fires burned about 3,000 acres near Moore, southeast of Oklahoma City, forcing the evacuation of 30 homes for several hours March 15, Armstrong said.
Wildfires have also broken out in western Kansas, where 14,000 acres burned March 15 in Hodgeman County quickly, exponentially, it makes it hard to get a handle on it," said Frederick.
Date: 3/23/06
Agriculture News from HPJ - Your Ag News Source
Copyright/Privacy
Copyright 1995-2008. High
Plains Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Any republishing
of these pages, including electronic reproduction of the editorial archives
or classified advertising, is strictly prohibited. If you have questions or
comments you can reach us at
High Plains Journal
1500 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., P.O. Box 760, Dodge City, KS 67801
or call 1-800-452-7171. Email:
webmaster@hpj.com
|
|
