Fire crews scramble across Oklahoma to put out wind whipped wild fires. One of the biggest fires was in Okmulgee County. People were forced from their homes west of the town of Okmulgee as 40-mph winds pushed the flames north.
The Oklahoma National Guard used helicopters to make water drops. People near the community of Nuyaka were evacuated. They took shelter at the Baptist Church around the corner from the volunteer fire department.
OTHER FIRES:
There were no immediate reports of injuries or property damage, although some communities in eastern Oklahoma were voluntarily evacuating.
On Thursday afternoon, crews with several fire engine details reported heavy smoke and warned travelers not to approach the fire line. Voluntary evacuations were in place for a couple neighborhoods in Owasso.
About 2:15 p.m., firefighters closed a state highway near Sarge Creek near Kaw Lake for a grass fire.
Firefighters and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority were on the scene of a large grass fire that started in Pawnee County and has moved north toward the Cimarron Turnpike. Pawnee County is beginning to evacuate residents.