On Friday, March 14, wind gusts of 60 mph swept through Oklahoma causing dust storms, flying debris and wildfires.
Here is an overview of what happened:
- The Oklahoma State Emergency Operations Center sent out 27 Wireless Emergency Alerts for evacuations.
- Over 130 fires were reported in 44 counties.
- Wind damage has been reported in multiple counties causing roof damage, rolled vehicles and downed trees.
- Over 77,000 power outages occurred statewide
- The Oklahoma Dept. of Transportation reported over eight highway closings
Evacuation orders are still in effect for the following areas:
- Northeast of 68th and Underwood, Payne County
- North Lincoln County
- WSW of Stillwater, Payne County
- Near Mannford, Creek County
- Near Frost, Coyle, Langston, Logan County
House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, gave a response to all the wildfires in his house district and statewide:
“The devastation across my House district and the state is hard to put into words. My heart breaks for those Oklahomans who have lost their homes and had damage to their property. We have a lot of hurting Oklahomans today who need our support. I want to thank our dedicated first responders and firefighters who have worked tirelessly in very tough conditions and continue to fight fires on the ground. We urge our nonprofit, church and community partners to stand with us as we help impacted Oklahomans get back on their feet.”
