Firefighters battling heat as well as wildfire in northeast Oklahoma City

“We've got resources in here from the other side of Tulsa, southwest Oklahoma, all areas that have come in to assist as well as military resources,” Barnes said.

Pryor Assistant Fire Chief Sherman Weaver and a Mayes County task force kept fire from crossing a county road on the northeast edge of Oklahoma City near Midwest Boulevard and NE 118 Thursday.

The work is tough, and the fires often are in remote locations.

“Especially in this terrain, they're very hard,” Weaver said. “You can't get around to it.”

He said it is important to drink plenty of water in the heat. His task force is comprised of firefighters from Salina, Adair, Pryor, Osage, Locust Grove and Strang.

Parker arrived with a fresh crew Thursday to help with flare-ups.

“It's very difficult work,” Parker said. “You're doing a lot of walking to access the fire and dragging hoses, lines, while you are in your equipment in the heat.”

“We try to rotate our crews all through the day and night to keep everybody as fresh as we can.”