Beckham County, OK – Multiple wildfires fueled by strong winds kept emergency crews busy across western Oklahoma on Sunday forcing evacuations in parts of Beckham County and drawing responses from numerous fire departments across the region.
One of the largest fires, known as the 1170 Road Fire, broke out north of Sayre and prompted evacuations earlier in the day. Beckham County Emergency Management reported that a shelter was opened by the American Red Cross for residents displaced by the fire.
According to Sayre Emergency Management, the fire was moving toward town and threatened homes on Electra Street north of the Sayre school before firefighters were able to stop its advance.
“Folks, we definitely dodged a disaster today all due to a quick response by your Sayre Fire Department,” the department said in a statement posted on social media.
Firefighters were battling relentless winds as they worked to bring the blaze under control before it could reach homes. Several neighboring departments responded to assist, including Erick, Texola, Sweetwater, Berlin, Cheyenne, Elk City, Canute, Carter and Delhi fire departments, along with Beckham County road graders.
Sayre officials praised the coordinated effort of the volunteer departments that responded.
“The Volunteer Departments took time out of their Sunday to save the day and Elk City sent help even with their plate full at home,” the department said.
Beckham County Sheriff Derek Manning said he was attending church when he received the call about the fire, which was believed to have started near the landfill north of Sayre. Deputies were dispatched to help evacuate residents in the path of the fire as it moved southeast toward town.
“We called several of our folks out and had them work in the area,” Manning said. “Fortunately, the fire department did an exceptional job in those high winds of getting it knocked down pretty quickly.”
Several residents were evacuated as a precaution, and the Beckham County Fair Barn was opened as an evacuation center. Manning said firefighters had the head of the fire knocked down within a couple of hours and residents were soon allowed to return home.
“The fire guys, they did a great job as usual,” Manning said. “They were out there still mopping up little hot spots because in a wind like that it doesn’t take much for embers to spread.”
The exact cause of the Sayre fire has not yet been determined.
Later in the day, another fire broke out near the Erick Cemetery south of Erick. Volunteer firefighters quickly responded and were able to contain that fire before it could spread into the rugged terrain.
Additional wildfire activity was reported elsewhere in western Oklahoma.
Custer County Emergency Management reported the Dripping Springs Fire east of Arapaho near the Dripping Springs Boy Scout Camp. The Dewey County Fire Task Force and Oklahoma Forestry Services assisted in fighting that fire.
In Jackson County, emergency management officials reported a wildfire near Martha. Oklahoma Forestry Services deployed ground firefighting resources, and eight Jackson County fire departments responded along with the Ardmore Fire Department. Fire departments from Altus and Beckham County continued working the fire overnight while the Southwest Incident Support Team sent a three-person team to assist with operations.
State officials also reported widespread impacts from the high winds, including more than 25,000 power outages statewide at the height of Sunday’s fire activity.
Despite the dangerous conditions, officials credited the quick response and cooperation among departments for preventing major damage.
“In winds like this they can just go,” Manning said. “When you knock a fire down in a couple hours with 70 mile an hour wind, you know what you’re doing.”
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