Wildfires bring Tulsa deputy chief, other locals west: 'You cant even imagine the scale of how big

[turbinetree]

Source: Tulsa World

Walls of flame can reach 70 feet in dangerous blaze in western Oklahoma
By Reece Ristau Tulsa World Apr 18, 2018 Updated 3 hrs ago

As western Oklahoma wildfires continued to grow in strength and size Wednesday, firefighters faced walls of flame that at times reached 70 feet.

“You can’t even imagine the scale of how big they are, how fast they move and how far they can jump ahead of themselves,” said Tulsa Deputy Fire Chief Andy Teeter.

As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, the Rhea fire, affecting Blaine, Custer, Dewey and Woodward counties, covered more than 283,000 acres — a 34,000-acre increase from Tuesday, according to the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. It remained at 3 percent containment.

Crews were planning to battle the fire overnight, according to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management.

Read more: http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/weather/as-wildfires-continue-to-spread-local-crews-head-to-western/article_3b2b3355-6ea9-5d64-9963-af1f37cbe948.html

[ret5hd]

1. And September/October is a LONG way away.

[Leghorn21]

2. From your other post, tree - - satellite view - OH...no, I *cant even imagine* -

[Rural_Progressive]

3. I thought they were going to get rain soon

the only thing "good" about early and late season fires is the possibility that Nature will put them out for you.

We live in fire country and dodged the bullet last year when we had zero electrical storms. This year we've already had two storms with electrical activity associated, not a promising start.

Oh well, for what we may be about to receive in a couple of months, may we truly be thankful. I'd say our "thoughts and prayers" are with the people in OK but first I'd throw up in my mouth a little bit and then I'd have to put myself out of everyone's misery.

[KatyaR]

5. We have a cold front coming in tomorrow, with rain starting

tomorrow night throughout the weekend. There's a 100% chance on Saturday. I hope it will just pour down. We have had absolutely horrible winds lately, and that has just made it worse.

[modrepub]

4. Current US Drought Map

[BumRushDaShow]

6. I don't usually hear about wildfires there

more further west and south.

This is the severe weather season so they are apparently not getting that along with the rain that goes with the storms.

[DemoTex]

7. My bumper sticker: FIREWISE YET?

Wildland fire is the new norm. The WUI (Wildland Urban Interface) is expanding, as climatic change exacerbates the conditions supporting big fires. The wildland fires in the Southeast in 2016 in general, and the inferno that raced through Gatlinburg, TN, in particular, should have sobered up some of the deniers. Wildland fire is not just a western thing anymore.

But the deniers get jobs in the Trump administration. And unchecked development into the WUI is encouraged. It is a setup for a perfect storm. And it will be a firestorm.

Some newer DUers might not know that, after I retired as an airline captain, I spent nine years working fire seasons for the US Forest Service in Oregon and Arizona. And I'll most likely return for the second half of western Fire Season 2018 to do wildland fire photography. Older DUers will probably remember my photo postings from the wilderness fire lookout tower in Oregon.

mac