Random Ramblings: Aerial Wildland Firefighting

I have blogged about aerial wildland firefighting since 2009. I am not a firefighter and am not a pilot, just an interested bystander who wants to learn more and share what I learn here. Join me here as I blog on the aircraft and the pilots who fight wildland fires from the air in support of crews on the ground. I also blog on concerns affecting fire crews on the ground as well as other aviation and meteorology issues. Learn what it takes to do jobs that are staffed by the best of the best.

Monday, April 03, 2023

2023 Wildfire Season: March 31 Wildfires in Oklahoma

I would like to thank a good friend who gave me a heads up about the wildfire outbreak in Oklahoma on March 31st. He spoke of around 100 fires that left many houses destroyed. So, I went to see what I could find out for you.

Here is a tweet from the Oklahoma Forest Service on April 1st

#SitRep UPDATE: 97 new wildfires yesterday. Assessments ongoing. Fire danger will remain a headline through much of the week ahead especially for northern and western Oklahoma.
Read the new report here: https://t.co/IO2EqrKPno #OKWX #WildfireAware #WildfirePrevention pic.twitter.com/jaoha9E1LO
— Oklahoma Forestry Services (@OKForestService) April 1, 2023

The report referenced in the tweet was removed by the time I accessed the link. However, I found a running account of the wildfire outbreak starting early on March 31st and ending late in the afternoon of April 1 from KOCO News 5 that may be found here. If you scroll down you can read an account of the wildfires with videos. Their last update was on April 1 at 5:40 PM, they reported

The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security released an update on the number of homes impacted in Friday's wildfires, as well as the number of injuries.
More than 30 homes were destroyed in the Simpson Road fire in Logan County. Damage assessment is still ongoing. Three homes were destroyed and three more received minor damage in the Hefner Road fire. Seven homes were destroyed in the Gap Road fire in northeast Oklahoma.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health said 32 injuries related to fires, fire weather and high winds were reported by area hospitals. (obtained on April 3, 2023, 1:55PM from https://www.koco.com/article/oklahoma-city-fire-kelley-hefner-structures/43481705)

I understand from the NWS Weather Forecast Office at Norman Oklahoma that there will be extreme fire danger in Oklahoma on Tuesday, April 4th with elevated fire danger for the rest of the week.

obtained on April 3, 2023 at 1:55 PM from https://www.weather.gov/oun/

The Oklahoman has some coverage last updated on March 31st at 7:26 PM on the wildfires.

I close with two news reports from KOCO that I found on YouTube reporting the wildfire outbreak on March 31st. I believe, but am not certain that both video reports were on March 31st. The first video is during daylight hours and the second report is after night fall.