Five MFC Wildland Firefighters arrived in Weatherford, Oklahoma and all are safe and working hard. Wildfire weather conditions have been historic in Oklahoma with high winds, extreme drought conditions, and low relative humidity that are causing lots of flare-ups. While there are no official numbers, there are upwards of 50 homes that have been lost.
Video footage courtesy of Korey Williams, Mississippi Forestry Commission.
“We appreciate our employees taking part in these efforts to help our state and federal partners in Oklahoma. Fighting the destructive power of wildfire means that our Wildland Firefighters are working in extreme conditions protecting people’s lives, homes, and forestland,” said Charlie Morgan, State Forester. “We are proud of their service and look forward to their safe return home in approximately two weeks.”
The Oklahoma Forestry Services reports that the “Rhea” wildfire has burned approximately 283,000 acres at this time with three percent of that contained in the panhandle of Oklahoma.
“If you can imagine 350 square miles of fire it would be Rankin County on fire,” Giachelli said. “Not just 100 acres of Rankin County, but the whole County. Can you imagine evacuating Rankin County? I sure can’t. It’s burning so much grassland and graze land, it is burning over cattle which is their livelihood. Residents are having to gather their belongings and get out of the way of the fire.”
Giachelli added that they are going to keep sending crews out until they can get a handle on the blaze.
