A field fire was reported at 6:45 a.m. Wednesday a mile south and a mile east of the Nine Mile Hill south of Altus. A fire was also reported in an open field across from the Camelot Mobile Home Park in the 2100 block of North Park Lane in Altus during yesterday at noon.
Firemen also were called out to a grass fire east of the Park Lane Shopping Center near the irrigation canal, as well as to a wheat field fire at 7 p.m., 10 miles west of Duke Wednesday night. It flared back up around 9:45 p.m., as well as a few more times overnight as strong winds continued.
“The wind is feeding the fires, but it doesn’t take much whatever starts it,” said Altus Fire Chief J.R. Wheeler. “With the exteme dry conditions any little thing from a tossed cigarette butt to a hot vehicle driving over dry grass can start a fire.”
Wheeler said that even though there is not a burn ban in effect yet, with conditions the way they are the area should see one soon.
“As much as we need the rain, I would still like to see the farmers get their crops out first,” Wheeler said. “But they could lose the whole thing to fire if conditions don’t improve soon.”
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