Wichita Mountains, Meers fire torches homes, prompts road closures

The fires are burning over a 20 square mile area. The fires on the northwest side of the county continues to burn while firefighters mostly have contained the fires on the east side.

“There are a lot of hot spots that we'll continue to monitor through the weekend,” Killmer said about the east side fires. “The other side is burning pretty good.”

Helicopters dropping water on the blazes were shut down at nightfall for safety reasons, he said.

Comanche County Commissioner Ron Kirby told The Associated Press two firefighters were injured. One was slightly burned and another was overcome by heat.

Officials are asking those who live near the fire to get out of the area as soon as possible, and for everyone else to stay away. Those concerned for family and friends in the area are being asked to not go to near the fire and to notify authorities about anyone who might be in a dangerous location.

“We definitely want to discourage people from coming down here if they don't belong here,” Comanche County Sheriff Kenny Stradley said. “We understand people are curious but we have to protect everyone, and when people come down here it can cause a lot of problems so we're discouraging it.”

People have been evacuated from about 60 homes, including 40 in the Mountain Village addition. No one has been reported seriously hurt.

Firefighters attacked the fire Friday afternoon from two points, one at Mountain Village just west of Meers and one on its northwest flank about eight miles northwest of Meers, Killmer said. Most of the area between those attack points was on fire.

The Red Cross has opened a shelter for emergency crews and displaced residents at Meers Community Building, and a second shelter is on standby if needed, agency spokesman Rusty Surette said. The Red Cross and The Salvation Army are helping feed firefighters and displaced residents.

State Highway 115 remained closed Friday night from the Meers Store at Meers Porter Hill Road north to Saddle Mountain at the Comanche-Caddo County line, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported.