(courtesy of Fox 25 News)
Two firefighters are recovering after being injured while fighting one of the wildfires that burned thousands of acres in northwest Oklahoma over the weekend.
More than 7,000 acres of land were burned in all of the fires that occurred in the northwest and eastern parts of the state.
Aided by strong winds, the biggest of the fires was near Woodward where 5,000 acres were burned, according to the Oklahoma Forestry Division of the State Agriculture Department.
As of Monday morning, the “57 Fire” in Woodward County was only 45% contained. Reports indicated two firefighters were injured on Saturday while fighting the fire near Sharon. The Woodward County Emergency Management Office indicated County Wildfire Task Forces from Alfalfa, Logan, and Washington Counties assisted with the fires on Sunday.
The fire started southwest of the town of Sharon and is believed to have begun as a prescribed burn that reignited. News 9 TV reported the firefighters wre members of the Mooreland Volunteer Fire Department and were hurt when their truck was overrun by fire on Saturday.
They were identified as Jared Brittain and Max Clark. News 9 indicated Clark was released from the hospital on Sunday while Brittain was still being held for treatment.
The “Boggs Hollow Fire” in Latimer county burned nearly2,200 acres and was 60% contained at last word fromthe Forestry Division.
The State Forestry Division indicated possible rains developing in the northwest and Panhandle will help ease some of the dangers of the wildfires.