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Winter Wildfires Scorch Texas, Oklahoma
Written by
Lesly C. Simmons
, Staff Writer, RedCross.org
Wednesday, December 28, 2005 — A series of wildfires raging through parts of Oklahoma and Texas have burned thousands of acres and hundreds of homes. At least four deaths have been attributed to the blazes that began over the weekend.
The American Red Cross opened shelters and support centers yesterday to help area residents who lost their homes in the fires, as well as providing support to firefighters battling the blazes.
“I’ve been visiting with families today, and most of these homes burned with nothing left to salvage,” said Anita Foster, spokesperson for the American Red Cross Chisholm Trail Chapter in Fort Worth, Texas. “They are literally a pile of ashes.”
The Chisholm Trail chapter opened an evacuation center and assisted about 100 people on Tuesday night. On Wednesday, a service center opened to provide affected residents with financial assistance, mass care, and other needs. Some of the hardest hit areas include parts of Hood Co., along with the communities of Kennedale and Arlington, near Ft. Worth.
Foster said Texas officials are concerned that the fires may flare up again over the weekend unless residents take serious precautions to prevent them.
“If everyone heeds the proper precautions like not burning things outdoors, not using barbeque pits or throwing cigarettes out the window, the outlook might be better,” said Foster.
The cause of the fires is still under investigation, but some sources include a falling power line in Oklahoma, and improper trash burning in Texas. State fire officials issued a warning earlier in December that the winter fire season could be potentially devastating.
“Vegetation is critically dry in much of the state,” said Mike Dunivan, fire behavior analyst with the Texas Forest Service in a press release on Dec. 5. “Add winds and low humidity during the afternoon prime burning period, and you have a recipe for fast-spreading, dangerous wildfires. Most of the large wildfires that already occurred statewide resulted from this deadly combination of wildfire ingredients.”
In Oklahoma, fires burning near Oklahoma City increased in intensity Wednesday afternoon as winds picked up, making it harder for firefighters to gain control. Thousands of acres in that state have already burned, and many homes have been destroyed.
All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the Midwest ice storms, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation. Call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.
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