GUTHRIE, Okla. (KFOR) – Guthrie Fire Department Chief Eric Harlow reports that hundreds of firefighters were battling a massive wild fire in the Guthrie area Friday Night.
At 9:00 p.m., Harlow told KFOR that more than 200 firefighters from various departments were fighting very active flames in a large area somewhat near East Charter Oak Rd. and South Midwest Blvd.
Many residents were forced to evacuate and those returning to their homes in the area were blocked off by emergency responders.
Firefighters were blocking resident Tammy Swicky from getting down her street in the active area of South Midwest Blvd. She said her neighbor had called her in a frenzy to come and get her dog that she had left at home.
“‘Mandatory evacuation. The fire’s headed our way. You have to come now.'” she said her neighbor told her.
The neighbor ended up grabbing Swicky’s dog for her, but he also shared some devastating news with her about his home.
“He runs his business out of his home, so his home burned to the ground,” she explained. “He had a big shop to do mechanics on diesel vehicles. It went. Everything he owned went. His business, his tools, his pets, everything went.”
As of 10 p.m. Friday night, Swicky still couldn’t access her own home, now having waited for at least eight hours to see it.
“Well, hopefully my house is intact,” she said. “If it’s not, you just assess, you know? And take it from there.”
Chief Harlow told KFOR that the burning fire Friday night still had enflamed houses and structures.
He said they’ll likely be working on containing all the flames in the area for the next few days.