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2024 Oklahoma wildfires

Natural disasters in the USA From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The 2024 Oklahoma wildfire season was a series of notable wildfires that burned throughout the U.S. state of Oklahoma during 2024.

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Background

"Fire season" in Oklahoma typically occurs in the early and late months of the year, such as November or March. Due to the grassy fuels in Oklahoma, one of the main factors that pushes fires is wind and dry fuels.[1] Peak fire season is usually in March, the windiest month on record for Oklahoma.[2]

Summary

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By early August, Oklahoma experienced an above-average wildfire season across the Great Plains, with northwestern counties particularly affected. The Red Mesa Fire, which ignited on August 3 near Woodward County, ultimately burned 4,112 acres before being fully contained, prompting evacuations of several rural homesteads.[3] Earlier in the season, the Clear Creek Fire, sparked by lightning in mid-June near Alfalfa County, charred 2,890 acres—the first major wildfire of the year in the state—before containment efforts succeeded by early July.[4]

The late spring and summer period was marked by extreme dryness and high winds, contributing to rapid fire spread across grasslands and brush. The Cimarron Fire, which began near Enid in late July, consumed over 3,500 acres and damaged several outbuildings, prompting firefighters to employ controlled backburns to protect residential areas.[5] Another incident along the northwestern plains, the Blue River Fire, totaling roughly 1,200 acres, destroyed one structure and forced temporary road closures, highlighting the challenges of simultaneous wildfire management across the region.[6]

Oklahoma state wildfire suppression spending reached $12 million in 2024, driven largely by these larger incidents.[7] The Oklahoma Forestry Services also distributed $2 million in community mitigation grants, aiming to bolster preparedness in rural areas vulnerable to increasing fire risk due to sustained drought conditions.[8]

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List of wildfires

The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), or produced significant structural damage or casualties.

More information Name, County ...
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Perimeters of wildfires in Oklahoma during 2024 (Red: >1000 acres) (map data)

See also

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Notes

  1. [a]
    Containment means that fire crews have established and secured control lines around the fire's perimeter. These lines are artificial barriers, like trenches or cleared vegetation, designed to stop the fire's spread, or natural barriers like rivers. Containment reflects progress in managing the fire but does not necessarily mean the fire is starved of fuel, under control, or put out.[9]

References

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