Mobile homes saved from wildfire
Mobile homes near Carney saved from wildfire

By Ron Jackson and Julie Bisbee

Published: March 13, 2008

CARNEY — Firefighters from nine rural fire departments banded together to extinguish a wildfire Wednesday, saving a dozen mobile homes.

"We have some homes with warped siding right now, but we didn't lose any structures,” said Joey Wakefield, Lincoln County's emergency management director. "I'll tell you what, you can't say enough with how quickly those rural fire departments responded. These guys don't get paid. You have to give them props.”

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Fire crews received the emergency call about 1:35 p.m., Wakefield said. The blaze, which was contained after a 2 ½-hour battle, began five miles north of Carney and jumped U.S. 177 at one point.

Firefighters responded from Carney, Chandler, Wellston, Agra, Warwick, Kendrick and Davenport.

In Carter County, rural fire departments from 19 cities worked to put out a blaze near Ratliff City.

The first started about 1:45 p.m. and crews continued to work to put it out Wednesday evening.

Firefighters estimated that several thousand acres were consumed by fire.