The Oklahoma Forestry Services says it now believes there is a “High” probability this week of what it calls a Southern Great Plains Wildfire Outbreak.
Not just in Oklahoma but also in the Texas Panhandle and southern Kansas.
“—we hold elevated fire weather in place across Oklahoma on Thursday although relative humidity values will be somewhat improved. Nonetheless, increasing wildfire occurrence is expected and those fires will exhibit increasing resistance to control. Prescribed fire and controlled burning activities are strongly discouraged for the remainder of the week as we enter a
period of persistent fire danger concern that continues into next week,” declared the Services in a Wednesday update on the potential for wildfires in the state.
It explained the determination of a “high” probability of wildfires breaking is based on fuels and weather intelligence and working alongside the National Weather Service, the Texas A&M Forest Service and the Kansas Forest Service.
Several wildfires are still burning in the state as listed by the Forestry Services office.
NE Area – 10 Fires Burned 624.2 Acres (Cause: 2-Escaped Control Burn, 1-Escaped Debris, 7-Incendiary)
EC Area – 3 Fires Burned 216.8 Acres (Cause: 1-Escaped Control Burn, 1-Escaped Debris, 1-Incendiary)
SE Area – 3 Fires Burned 7 Acres (Cause: 3-Incendiary)
Ongoing Large / Significant Fire Activity within the OFS Protection Area:(>100 Acres Timber / >300 Acres Grass/Brush)
• Gravel Pit Fire (Adair County) – 125 Acres / 50% Contained
• Eagle Bluff Fire (Cherokee County) – 120 Acres / 50% Contained
• Stickfoot Fire (Delaware County) – 289 Acres / 70% Contained
• Scraper Hollow Creek Fire (Cherokee County) – 165 Acres / 70% Contained
• New State Fire (Pittsburg County) – 200 Acres / 40% Contained
• Gray Squirrel Hollow Fire (Adair County) – 730 Acres / 50% Contained
Fire Activity with OFS Response Outside of the Protection Area: 2 Fires Burned 315 Acres
• 5600 Fire (Pawnee County) – 70 Acres/1 Structure /
• House Creek Fire (Pawnee County) – 245 Acres /