Warmer weather, winds fuel wildfires
Warmer weather, winds fuel state wildfires

By Matt Dinger and Robert Medley

Published: February 26, 2008

Wildfires destroyed most of a day-care center and an automotive shop in Oklahoma City, and a church and a home near Shawnee on Monday.

The two fires were among dozens that broke out across the state, burning thousands of acres. Nearly two dozen fires were battled in Oklahoma City.

A grass fire started behind the Today's Generation Child Development Center at 9303 Shields Blvd., and spread to the day care and an adjacent automotive shop, Oklahoma City Battalion Chief Cecil Clay said.

The fire destroyed the rear half of the day care, and the automotive shop "is going to need to be torn down,” Clay said. "It just couldn't withstand that kind of heat.”

It took more than 75 firefighters more than two hours to extinguish the major portions of the blaze. No one was inside the structures at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported, Clay said.

The fire, which started about 7:20 p.m., was fueled by high winds and spread to the businesses, which prompted Oklahoma City firefighters to sound additional alarms. Oklahoma City firefighters were assisted by the Moore and Norman fire departments, Clay said.

Damage to the automotive shop and the eight vans inside is estimated at $300,000, and the day-care center received about $80,000 in damage, Clay said.

A third, smaller structure behind the other two was also destroyed in the blaze, but its function was not known

Grass fires in Oklahoma City started popping up about 4:30 p.m. as commuters began to head home from work, Clay said. Most of the fires were starting along streets and highways and were likely caused by cigarettes being thrown from cars.

A large grass fire burned an outbuilding and dozens of acres near Interstate 40 and Anderson Road, Clay said. The fire, which started about 5 p.m., burned a barn that contained hay, which made for a difficult time for firefighters.

From about 4:30 p.m. until about 6 p.m., Oklahoma City firefighters battled nearly 20 grass fires across the city.

Clay said high winds and warmer temperatures made for ripe grass fire conditions.

Firefighters were monitoring hot spots from a 100-acre grass fire Monday evening that claimed a church and a house and threatened 15 other structures, said Shawnee Assistant Fire Chief Don Lynch.

Lynch said firefighters were called about 12:45 p.m. to the Johnson community in Pottowatomie County about three miles north of Interstate 40 and three miles east of State Highway 18.

A grass fire burned out of control there and spread to the Sallateeka Baptist Church. The church was heavily damaged but no one was hurt. A house also was heavily damaged.

Two large fires burned Monday evening in Tillman, Murray and Comanche counties.

A fire broke out in southern Comanche County about 3:30 p.m. near State Highway 36, burning about six square miles before the fire was contained. No homes were lost and no one was injured, but about 20 homes were evacuated while firefighters battled the flames, said Chris Killmer, Comanche County emergency management spokesman.

In northwestern Oklahoma, a fire broke out near Fargo in Ellis County about 11:30 a.m. and firefighters from surrounding towns contained the flames about 5 p.m., said Matt Lehenbauer, Woodward County Emergency Management Director.

Another fire near Jet, in northern Oklahoma, had consumed at least 3,000 acres, said Walt Yager, a Jet firefighter.

Contributing: Staff Writers Josh Rabe,

Augie Frost and Brian Sargent

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