Remembering Devastating Grass Fires Nearly a Year Later

By Jon Jordan, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The massive grass fires that tore through the state on April 9, 2009, continue to remain in the minds of those who saw the devastation first-hand.

One the hardest hit areas was Midwest City's Oakwood addition. In that addition and surrounding neighborhoods, nearly 20 homes burned to the ground. The grass fire there was believed to have started in a grass field behind a business ultimately traveling seven miles before it was eventually contained.

In some areas where homes were destroyed by the grass fire, signs of recovery are evident. Last June, Mike Brown's family bought one of the homes that was destroyed and completely remodeled it.

"I've been around a lot of burnt houses but never thought I would be putting one back together," said Brown, who is a retired Midwest City fire fighter. "You couldn't even come in the front door you had to come in from the windows. All of the windows were blown out, just wadding through building material because ceiling joints where all down."

But while areas are turning the page on last years grass fires, other areas still look the same. In areas of Midwest City and Choctaw, some homeowners chose to rebuild elsewhere, leaving the land they once owned as empty lots.

"It's just a constant reminder of all the empty lots and burnt trees," said Vernon McCarty, whose home survived the fires.

He said images of that day are still vivid.

"The first thing I saw was the house on the corner. That was surreal just to see that leveled, you know, nothing but orange embers," McCarty said.

The Midwest City and Choctaw grass fire was determined to have been started intentionally. However, it is just a week shy of the grass fires one year anniversary and still no one has been arrested.