Fire danger continues across Oklahoma due to high winds, dry conditions

Much of Oklahoma is under a fire weather watch through Tuesday, as a red flag warning is in place for much of the state due to gusty winds, low humidity and dry vegetation on Monday.

UPDATE: A dangerous fire began in Logan County just southeast of Guthrie. The National Weather Service says people in the area should evacuate to the Guthrie Fairgrounds. An Oklahoma Forestry Service official said local fire departments have stopped the fire from advancing.

The news comes as people across the state pick up the pieces from damaging fires that broke out across the state beginning Friday.

The latest numbers show four people died, 142 were injured, more than 170,000 acres were scorched and 400 homes sustained damage. Federal and state officials are continuing efforts to assess and survey the damage Monday.

Most of the state is abnormally dry, while roughly a third is experiencing moderate drought conditions. That means a lot of dried-out vegetation that can serve as fuel to a fast-moving fire. That means much of the state is facing critical fire weather again Monday and Tuesday.

Keith Merckx with the Oklahoma Forestry Service said the cold front and slight humidity that moved in over the weekend gave OFS crews time to tend fires and prepare for another dry week. He said they expect more calls today.

“Today could be bad, tomorrow will likely be worse,” Merckx said Monday.

Gov. Kevin Stitt declared a state of emergency in 12 counties in Western, Central and Northeast Oklahoma. Stitt held a press conference in Mannford after touring the damage in that area Saturday morning. He said he personally lost a home to fire on a plot of land he owns near Luther.

“So really, this kind of stuff hits close to home when those fires come through,” he said. “There's just not, not a lot that you can do.”

NASA’s fire tracking tool showed 20 named fires still burning across Oklahoma Monday morning, along with dozens of hot spots.