Cold Front Raises Wildfire Danger Across Oklahoma
The arrival of a Thursday evening cold front has the Oklahoma Forestry Service alert for increased chances of destructive wildfires.
“Given the state of the fuels and increasing fire weather again, large fire probabilities are increasing,” according to the latest fire update from the Forestry Service.
Already, firefighters are facing a growing number of wildfires across Oklahoma, including two that have each burned more than 1,000 acres.
Large Wildfire Activity Reported Statewide
Fires w/Oklahoma Forestry Service resources engaged out of initial attack area: No New Activity
Large/Significant Fire Activity (>100 Acres Timber or >300 Acres Grass/Brush):
- Starwood Lane Fire (Atoka County) – 240 Acres / 40% Contained
- South Frazier Creek (Pushmataha County) – 112 Acres / 30% Contained
- East Wind Fire (Latimer County) – 125 Acres / 65% Contained
- 90 Degrees Fire (Latimer County) – 516 Acres / 60% Contained
- Iron Post Fire (Cherokee County) – 1,247 Acres / 50% Contained
- Luna Branch Fire (Adair County) – 1,250 Acres / 50% Contained
- Barbed Wire Fire (Sequoyah County) – 600 Acres / 50% Contained
- Old Kentucky Fire (Sequoyah County) – 464 Acres / 75% Contained
- Sonny Gile Fire (Adair County) – 556 Acres / 60% Contained
- Cross Timber Fire (Pottawatomie County) – 857 Acres / 90% Contained
- Nickle Fire (Adair County) – 180 Acres / 80% Contained
- Pine Tree Fire (Pushmataha County) – 155 Acres / 100% Contained
- Jumping Juniper Fire (Dewey County) – 623 Acres / 80% Contained
- Sunshine Hollow South Fire (Pushmataha County) – 150 Acres / 100% Contained
- Pumpkin Hollow Fire (Cherokee County) – 1,126 Acres / 80% Contained
- Sunshine Hollow Fire (Pushmataha County) – 1,601 Acres / 100% Contained
- Powerline Fire (Adair County) – 305 Acres / 85% Contained
- White Man Spring Fire (Cherokee County) – 108 Acres / 90% Contained
Weather Conditions Increasing Fire Risk
Thursday: Potential record-breaking temperatures continue on Thursday ahead of another cold front moving into Oklahoma Thursday evening. Energy Release Component has deteriorated into the 95th percentile for most of Oklahoma ratcheting up both resistance to control and large fire potential.
Significant fire probabilities remain low on Thursday although average fire size has been increasing even with less-than-critical fire weather given composite fuel moisture.
The frontal boundary will challenge going fires as well as any wildland fire activity from the past two days where heavier fuels may be smoldering.