Mandatory Evacuations in Oklahoma City

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by melbo, Jan 1, 2006.


  1. melbo

    melbo Hunter Gatherer Administrator Founding Member

    Wild fires.

    Current reports are some as big as 1 mile wide. These are inside the city limits.



    High winds, dry temperatures fuel wildfires across Oklahoma

    By The Associated Press
    A rash of grass fires broke out Sunday afternoon throughout the Oklahoma City area, fueled by unseasonably dry conditions and wind gusts of more than 50 miles per hour.
    Oklahoma City firefighters responded to at least 15 grass fires in the metro area Sunday afternoon that burned more than 100 acres, said Oklahoma City Fire Major Brian Stanaland.

    A few homes suffered minor exterior damage in northeast Oklahoma City after some power lines arced and caught some grass on fire. While firefighters battled that blaze, high winds blew up some construction material from a nearby construction site that hit the power lines, caught on fire and landed on a nearby nursing home, Stanaland said.

    "You basically had flying, flaming debris," Stanaland said. "Luckily, we were already on the scene putting out the fires when it happened so we were able to put it out. We were very, very lucky."

    No injuries or major structure damage were immediately reported in Oklahoma City.

    Another large grass fire was reported near Guthrie that forced the closure of both the north and southbound lanes of Interstate 35 for more than an hour, said Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Pete Norwood.

    State Highways 33 and 105 near Guthrie remained closed Sunday afternoon because of smoke that limited visibility, Norwood said.

    A grass fire also was reported near Bristow in northeast Oklahoma and another near Wellston in Lincoln County that threatened about 30 homes, said Michelann Ooten a spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management.

    Meanwhile, firefighters and state emergency officials across the state continued to monitor areas Sunday that were scorched by wildfires over the weekend, while urging Oklahomans to comply with the statewide burn ban.

    The major hot spots were in Bennington, Bristow and Pink, where grassfires charred hundreds of acres on Saturday, Ooten said.

    "We are reminding the people that they should be extremely careful in any outdoor activity today," she said. "And remember that any firework activity is illegal, and taking a chance means putting Oklahomans, their homes and firefighters at risk."

    High winds, record-high temperatures and drought-like conditions across much of the state increased the fire danger to critical levels.

    "Weather conditions are gearing up," Ooten said. "We're working with military departments to make sure they have supplies on standby, and we are still receiving firefighters from Alabama and Tennessee."

    Oklahoma has been locked in a dry spell, with winds easing at night and in the morning and then increasing in the afternoon. Dozens of fires began in the state Tuesday when winds gusted to more than 40 mph. The state is more than a foot behind its normal rainfall of about 36 inches for this time of year.

    Officials declared a state of emergency for Oklahoma Friday because of wildfire conditions, sought a federal disaster declaration and enlisted firefighting help from other states.

    The wildfires in the last week have ravaged more than 30,000 acres, destroyed nearly 100 homes and businesses, left one man dead and caused a handful of minor injuries.
     
  2. Minuteman

    Minuteman Chaplain Moderator Founding Member

    I am watching them close. They are not far from my house. I am just 20 mi NE of OKC.
     
  3. sniper-66

    sniper-66 Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Well, Minuteman, I may be coming to your rescue. Got a call a little bit ago to get a fresh flight suit out of the closet. We will see. Please don't shoot the Gubment helicopters!
     
  4. melbo

    melbo Hunter Gatherer Administrator Founding Member

    Bring your camera along S
     
  5. Minuteman

    Minuteman Chaplain Moderator Founding Member

    Your birds not Black is it? You know how us conspiracy nuts are about black helicopters!
     
  6. sniper-66

    sniper-66 Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Well, after flying through smoke, they do tend to turn black! If it has a huge pumpkin haning under it, that is usually a give away that we are fighting fires, but I am sure you conspiracy nuts will think it is some kind of brain reading radar. It spills water to throw people off track. Pretty high speed, huh!
     
  7. melbo

    melbo Hunter Gatherer Administrator Founding Member

    I heard about those. Better take your Iodine tabs mm
     
  8. sniper-66

    sniper-66 Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    We actually got a call one day from a guy that thought we were looking into his house with our radar. No amount of convincing would work. Finally, I handed the phone over to one of the pilots that was also a HP trooper. He told the guy that the only way to stop the radar was to make a hat out of aluminum foil and wear it. Guy never called back. :eek:
     
  9. Minuteman

    Minuteman Chaplain Moderator Founding Member

    [tf]
     
  10. monkeyman

    monkeyman Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Well like I said before if you go by Whiteman on the way back by road you know how to get here now and if its by air we got plenty of room behind the house to set the bird down for a bit. :D Besides, I still think that would be awsome just to screw with the neighbors when a mil chopper lands in the pasture, especialy if you bring toys and we go blow some holes in targets out back. lol
     
  11. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Your neighbors would all qualify for tin hats and long sleeved jackets in short order. One might do a fine job of messing with their minds. I would love to be there for that show ---
     
  12. sniper-66

    sniper-66 Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Actually, the fun is going to start with me fairly soon. Middle of next month, we start aerial gunnery. None of that normal crap, this will be out both sides at the same time doing convoy cover. God that is going to be a hoot!
     
  13. melbo

    melbo Hunter Gatherer Administrator Founding Member

    You'd have to play some sound bytes from Close Encounters and drop a basket and pick MM up. then fly away
     
  14. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member


    Ah, yes!! Massive flashing colored lights. Tracers, too. Neat-oh!! I can see it now, mm screaming and kicking in a bosun's chair being winched up in a cone of light --
     
  15. monkeyman

    monkeyman Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    LMAO! I figure just haveing them land and hang out for a bit would be quite ammuseing then when they asked about it just respond 'Chopper? What chopper? There were no choppers here, you didnt see any choppers!' as I look around nervously. [peep] :shock: b:: :D
     
  16. sniper-66

    sniper-66 Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    No, the best way to get them, especially around Whiteman, When they say chopper, you just say, "we don't talk about the helicopters around here, talk like that will get your cattle skinned" and then just turn away and ignore them the rest of the night. I will walk around with my big old pig skinning knife also!
     
  17. monkeyman

    monkeyman Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    ...and that with my gallows that have stock hanging from them fairly often and is clearly visible from the road could be extra interesting. lol
     
  18. monkeyman

    monkeyman Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Oh but do let me know before you drop in, the neighbors are liable to not be the only ones a bit concerned by it and would hate a friends first view of the AK in person to be from the unplesant end. Grabbing one of the shooting irons tends to be my imediate reaction any time an unknown and unexpected vehicle of any kind comes on the place. [peep]
     
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