Wildfire Situation Update
February 27, 2024 – 7:30 p.m.
WILDFIRES IMPACTING STATE
Due to high fire danger, wildfires, and high winds across the state, the State Emergency Operations Center activated yesterday, February 26. The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) 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, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, 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 8 p.m. for many counties in western, central, and northeastern Oklahoma.
MASS CARE
Evacuation shelters are open at the following locations:
- Fort Supply Baptist Church, 219 Sheridan, Fort Supply, OK
- Roger Mills County Courthouse, 500 E Broadway, Cheyenne, OK
- Vici Community Room, 604 Main Street, Vici, OK
- Woodward Conference Center, 3401 Centennial Drive, Woodward, OK
American Red Cross provided food for responders at fires in Beaver, Dewey, and Harper counties. They are also supporting the evacuation centers in Cheyenne and Woodward.
Oklahoma State Department of Health reports patients at Newman Memorial Hospital and residents at Shattuck Nursing Center were evacuated due to the fires in Ellis County. The Regional Emergency Medical System provided transportation for the evacuations.
INJURIES
According to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, 1 injury related to the fires has been reported by area hospitals (a responder with heat related illness).
FIRE REPORTS
The State Emergency Operations Center received 29 fire reports from local jurisdictions in 17 counties.
Oklahoma Forestry Services (OFS) has supported 32 uncontained fires across the state. OFS reports more than 30,000 acres have burned.
Ellis County Emergency Management reported a large fire that began near Catesby caused multiple fire warnings with multiple evacuations including the towns of Gage and Shattuck. Three structures burned. This fire later merged with the fire near Slapout in Beaver County.
Beaver County Emergency Management reported two large fires including one that started near Slapout. Multiple fire warnings were issued and evacuations were ordered for residents on the northern side of Slapout.
Roger Mills County Emergency Management reported the Smokehouse Creek Fire in Texas crossed the state line and moved into the county. A fire warning was issued and Durham and Crawford were evacuated as a result of the fire.
Texas County Emergency Management reported the Road L Fire caused evacuations earlier today. A temporary shelter was set up at the Texas County Emergency Management Office in Guymon. The evacuation order has been lifted and all fire departments were released.
Additional fires were reported in Alfalfa, Choctaw, Dewey, Kay, Logan, Major, Mayes, Okfuskee, Pittsburg, Pottawatomie, Pushmataha, Wagoner, and Woods counties.
DIAL 211
For Oklahoma residents seeking non-emergency disaster or health and human service information, please contact 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.
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