OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Fire crews were on high alert and many wildfires quickly popped up in the metro and elsewhere in Oklahoma on Friday are burning in and around the Oklahoma city metro.
Preliminary wildfire damage numbers according to OKC Fire working with @okcpolicedept in assessing the damage are reporting 3 structures that are totaled and 1 structure with minor damage. Firefighters are still working to bring the fire under control.
Fire crews have officially cleared off the wildfire near E Hefner/N Kelley. Brush pumpers will be rotating every four hours to check the area for any hot spots or flare ups. The Oklahoma Forestry Services flew over the fire and mapped 708 acres that burned.
Public Service Company of Oklahoma is reporting 218 customers without power.
OG&E is reporting 539 customers without power.
Yesterday, Red Cross disaster workers were aware of 97 wildfires across at least a dozen Oklahoma counties: Blaine, Cleveland, Dewey, Ellis, Grant, Kingfisher, Lincoln, Logan, Payne, Oklahoma, Osage and Washington. We opened an evacuation center in Bartlesville and worked with partners to feed more than 1,500 first responders and displaced Oklahomans.
Today, we continue to work with local officials to support impacted communities, with much of the known damage to homes in Logan County. Working with emergency management, we are identifying households in need of Red Cross recovery services. People in need of assistance after yesterday’s fires are encouraged to call 1-800-RED CROSS.
With residents allowed back into many areas last night that had been evacuated earlier in the day, the Red Cross has not been called upon to support any additional sites like evacuation centers or shelters.
Public Service Company of Oklahoma reports 3,374 customers without power.
The wildfire in NE OKC is 100% contained but firefighters will continue working through the night to extinguish hot spots and monitor any flare ups. We are still assessing the damage, but we can confirm three structures that are completely destroyed and eight structures that were damaged. No injuries have been reported. The evacuation orders have been lifted and all residents are allowed to return. Thank you to the @redcrossok for feeding us and keeping us hydrated. Thank you to the residents who evacuated the area. Thank you to @okcpolicedept and @ohp for your much needed assistance. We are very sorry to those that lost your home. We did our best to prevent the fire from spreading to any structures.
Throughout the day, Red Cross disaster workers have supported wildfire response in the following counties: Blaine, Cleveland, Dewey, Ellis, Grant, Kingfisher, Lincoln, Logan, Payne, Oklahoma, Osage and Washington. This has included providing water, snacks and meals to more than 300 Oklahoma first responders in all. We continue to work with emergency managers and other local officials to assess and meet individual communities’ needs.
The Red Cross has supported one evacuation center in Bartlesville at Town & Country Christian Church. We are working with officials there to determine whether it is needed for overnight shelter. Residents are being allowed back into many areas across the state that were evacuated today, and the Red Cross has not been called upon to support any additional sites thus far.
Public Service Company of Oklahoma reports 3,960 customers without power.
Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management & Homeland Security
Due to high fire danger, wildfires, and high winds across the state, the State Emergency Operations Center activated today, March 31. The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (ODEMHS) is in contact with emergency managers in the affected areas and is coordinating with Oklahoma Forestry Services, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, Oklahoma State Department of Health, Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security, Oklahoma National Guard, Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, National Weather Service, American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and Oklahoma Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD).
A Red Flag Warning remains in effect until 10 p.m. for many counties in western, central, and north central Oklahoma. Oklahoma Forestry Services called out all Forestry task forces to respond to fires across the state.
FIRE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE GRANTS SECURED
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved the state’s request for three Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAGs): the Simpson Fire in Logan County, the Hefner Road Fire in Oklahoma City, and the Gap Fire in Washington County.
The grants will help reimburse local governments, volunteer fire departments and other first responders for costs associated with responding to the fires. The authorization makes FEMA funding available to reimburse 75 percent of state, local and tribal government eligible firefighting costs for the designated fires. Federal fire management assistance is provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund.
Fire departments and other agencies that responded to the three fires are advised to document all costs related to equipment and supplies (including fuel), labor costs, travel and per diem, temporary repairs of damage caused by firefighting activities, mobilization, and demobilization. ODEMHS will continue to assess the need for additional federal assistance.
MASS CARE
An evacuation shelter was opened in Bartlesville at the Town and Country Christian Church at 616 NE Washington Blvd. in Bartlesville.
FIRE REPORTS
Oklahoma City Emergency Management reports the Hefner Road Fire at Hefner Road and Kelley Avenue in Oklahoma City destroyed three residential structures. Three residential structures, two commercial storage buildings, and one commercial dump truck had minor damage.
Logan County Emergency Management reports the Simpson Fire at Simpson Road and Coltrane Road near Guthrie led to evacuations earlier today. Numerous homes were destroyed in the fire. Task forces from Comanche County, Pontotoc County, and Wagoner County provided firefighting support. OHP assisted with traffic control.
Bartlesville/Washington County Emergency Management reports the Gap Fire near the intersection of Highway 123 and Gap Road led to numerous rounds of evacuations in the area today. Multiple structures burned. Fire departments from Washington County, Bartlesville, Copan, Dewey, Ochelata, Oglesby and Osage Hills responded along with task forces from Ottawa County, Muskogee County, and Mayes County. A wildfire strike team and EOC support team from Craig County also responded.
The State Emergency Operations Center received reports of more than 65 additional fires in 27 counties.
POWER OUTAGES
At the height of the event today, more than 28,000 power outages were reported statewide due to high winds or wildfires.
DIAL 211
For Oklahoma residents seeking non-emergency disaster or health and human service information, please contact your local 2-1-1. Services are available 24 hours a day by dialing 2-1-1 from your home or cellular telephone. Please only call 911 for emergencies.
OG&E Advisory:
Extreme Winds Weather Update
Situation
Sustained winds of 40-50 mph with gusts over 75 mph impacted large portions of OG&E’s service area Friday afternoon damaging power poles, lines and equipment attached to poles.
As of 9 p.m., approximately 4,000 customers are without service. 800 personnel worked today to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. In high winds, we cannot use the buckets in bucket trucks because of increased risk to our crews up in the air. We may completely deenergize lines before reconnecting or working on them during high wind events. Other procedures may be enhanced to secure all vehicles and personnel involved in restoration when wind is an element our teams need to consider.
Damage includes at least 50 broken poles and associated lines that crews will replace or repair. All damage was a result of extreme winds.
Crews will work overnight and into the weekend until every customer’s power is restored.
- In northwest Oklahoma, including Enid, Woodward and surrounding towns, we expect all customers to be restored by midnight tonight.
- The southern portion of the service area including Ada and Ardmore should be fully restored by midnight tonight.
- Crews are actively restoring power and also assessing damage in the OKC metro area, Muskogee, Kellyville, Fort Smith, Ark. and other communities in the northeast portion of our service area. We do not currently have an estimated time of restoration for those areas and will share one as soon as we can.
Public Service Company of Oklahoma is reporting 4,093 customers without power.
OG&E is reporting 3,775 customers without power.
Fire crews have officially cleared off the wildfire near E Hefner/N Kelley. Brush pumpers will be rotating every four hours to check the area for any hot spots or flare ups. The Oklahoma Forestry Services flew over the fire and mapped 708 acres that burned.
Public Service Company of Oklahoma is reporting 218 customers without power.
OG&E is reporting 539 customers without power.
Yesterday, Red Cross disaster workers were aware of 97 wildfires across at least a dozen Oklahoma counties: Blaine, Cleveland, Dewey, Ellis, Grant, Kingfisher, Lincoln, Logan, Payne, Oklahoma, Osage and Washington. We opened an evacuation center in Bartlesville and worked with partners to feed more than 1,500 first responders and displaced Oklahomans.
Today, we continue to work with local officials to support impacted communities, with much of the known damage to homes in Logan County. Working with emergency management, we are identifying households in need of Red Cross recovery services. People in need of assistance after yesterday’s fires are encouraged to call 1-800-RED CROSS.
With residents allowed back into many areas last night that had been evacuated earlier in the day, the Red Cross has not been called upon to support any additional sites like evacuation centers or shelters.
Public Service Company of Oklahoma reports 3,374 customers without power.
The wildfire in NE OKC is 100% contained but firefighters will continue working through the night to extinguish hot spots and monitor any flare ups. We are still assessing the damage, but we can confirm three structures that are completely destroyed and eight structures that were damaged. No injuries have been reported. The evacuation orders have been lifted and all residents are allowed to return. Thank you to the @redcrossok for feeding us and keeping us hydrated. Thank you to the residents who evacuated the area. Thank you to @okcpolicedept and @ohp for your much needed assistance. We are very sorry to those that lost your home. We did our best to prevent the fire from spreading to any structures.
Throughout the day, Red Cross disaster workers have supported wildfire response in the following counties: Blaine, Cleveland, Dewey, Ellis, Grant, Kingfisher, Lincoln, Logan, Payne, Oklahoma, Osage and Washington. This has included providing water, snacks and meals to more than 300 Oklahoma first responders in all. We continue to work with emergency managers and other local officials to assess and meet individual communities’ needs.
The Red Cross has supported one evacuation center in Bartlesville at Town & Country Christian Church. We are working with officials there to determine whether it is needed for overnight shelter. Residents are being allowed back into many areas across the state that were evacuated today, and the Red Cross has not been called upon to support any additional sites thus far.
Public Service Company of Oklahoma reports 3,960 customers without power.
Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management & Homeland Security
Due to high fire danger, wildfires, and high winds across the state, the State Emergency Operations Center activated today, March 31. The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (ODEMHS) is in contact with emergency managers in the affected areas and is coordinating with Oklahoma Forestry Services, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, Oklahoma State Department of Health, Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security, Oklahoma National Guard, Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, National Weather Service, American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and Oklahoma Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD).
A Red Flag Warning remains in effect until 10 p.m. for many counties in western, central, and north central Oklahoma. Oklahoma Forestry Services called out all Forestry task forces to respond to fires across the state.
FIRE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE GRANTS SECURED
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved the state’s request for three Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAGs): the Simpson Fire in Logan County, the Hefner Road Fire in Oklahoma City, and the Gap Fire in Washington County.
The grants will help reimburse local governments, volunteer fire departments and other first responders for costs associated with responding to the fires. The authorization makes FEMA funding available to reimburse 75 percent of state, local and tribal government eligible firefighting costs for the designated fires. Federal fire management assistance is provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund.
Fire departments and other agencies that responded to the three fires are advised to document all costs related to equipment and supplies (including fuel), labor costs, travel and per diem, temporary repairs of damage caused by firefighting activities, mobilization, and demobilization. ODEMHS will continue to assess the need for additional federal assistance.
MASS CARE
An evacuation shelter was opened in Bartlesville at the Town and Country Christian Church at 616 NE Washington Blvd. in Bartlesville.
FIRE REPORTS
Oklahoma City Emergency Management reports the Hefner Road Fire at Hefner Road and Kelley Avenue in Oklahoma City destroyed three residential structures. Three residential structures, two commercial storage buildings, and one commercial dump truck had minor damage.
Logan County Emergency Management reports the Simpson Fire at Simpson Road and Coltrane Road near Guthrie led to evacuations earlier today. Numerous homes were destroyed in the fire. Task forces from Comanche County, Pontotoc County, and Wagoner County provided firefighting support. OHP assisted with traffic control.
Bartlesville/Washington County Emergency Management reports the Gap Fire near the intersection of Highway 123 and Gap Road led to numerous rounds of evacuations in the area today. Multiple structures burned. Fire departments from Washington County, Bartlesville, Copan, Dewey, Ochelata, Oglesby and Osage Hills responded along with task forces from Ottawa County, Muskogee County, and Mayes County. A wildfire strike team and EOC support team from Craig County also responded.
The State Emergency Operations Center received reports of more than 65 additional fires in 27 counties.
POWER OUTAGES
At the height of the event today, more than 28,000 power outages were reported statewide due to high winds or wildfires.
DIAL 211
For Oklahoma residents seeking non-emergency disaster or health and human service information, please contact your local 2-1-1. Services are available 24 hours a day by dialing 2-1-1 from your home or cellular telephone. Please only call 911 for emergencies.
OG&E Advisory:
Extreme Winds Weather Update
Situation
Sustained winds of 40-50 mph with gusts over 75 mph impacted large portions of OG&E’s service area Friday afternoon damaging power poles, lines and equipment attached to poles.
As of 9 p.m., approximately 4,000 customers are without service. 800 personnel worked today to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. In high winds, we cannot use the buckets in bucket trucks because of increased risk to our crews up in the air. We may completely deenergize lines before reconnecting or working on them during high wind events. Other procedures may be enhanced to secure all vehicles and personnel involved in restoration when wind is an element our teams need to consider.
Damage includes at least 50 broken poles and associated lines that crews will replace or repair. All damage was a result of extreme winds.
Crews will work overnight and into the weekend until every customer’s power is restored.
- In northwest Oklahoma, including Enid, Woodward and surrounding towns, we expect all customers to be restored by midnight tonight.
- The southern portion of the service area including Ada and Ardmore should be fully restored by midnight tonight.
- Crews are actively restoring power and also assessing damage in the OKC metro area, Muskogee, Kellyville, Fort Smith, Ark. and other communities in the northeast portion of our service area. We do not currently have an estimated time of restoration for those areas and will share one as soon as we can.
Public Service Company of Oklahoma is reporting 4,093 customers without power.
OG&E is reporting 3,775 customers without power.
Public Service Company of Oklahoma is reporting 4,449 customers without power.
OG&E is reporting 4,710 customers without power.
Public Service Company of Oklahoma is reporting 7,975 customers without power.
Public Service Company of Oklahoma is reporting 4,449 customers without power.
OG&E is reporting 4,710 customers without power.
Public Service Company of Oklahoma is reporting 7,975 customers without power.