WILDFIRES CLOSE HIGHWAYS, EVACUATE HOMES FRIDAY
NORMAN — Crews throughout central Oklahoma battled wildfires Friday, including one near Norman that drove about 100 people from their homes.
About 1:20 p.m., a wildfire was reported in a heavily wooded area northeast of Norman, between 108th and 120th Avenue NE, Norman Fire Department spokeswoman Sarah Jensen said. Multiple agencies assisted Norman firefighters, and National Guard helicopters were brought in to douse the flames.
Jensen said there were no reports of injuries or structures damaged. Norman Fire Chief Travis King said crews would be working through the night to knock out hot spots.
The east- and westbound lanes of Interstate 40 were closed for more than three hours near the Grand Casino Hotel and Resort as crews worked to extinguish a fire, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported. Pottawatomie County and Shawnee Emergency Management Director Don Lynch said the fire started on Stevens Road, jumped I-40 and continued to burn north of the interstate.
The Turner Turnpike between Chandler and Stroud also was closed temporarily due to a wildfire.
A red flag fire warning was issued for about half of the state Friday, with warm temperatures, low humidity and high winds creating ideal conditions for fires, the National Weather Service reported. The risk for wildfires is expected to remain high for central Oklahoma at least through Wednesday.