Donations Needed As Firefighters Battle Ochelata Fire

Firefighters are exhausted after as a wildfire raged through Ochelata.

Weather conditions made it hard for firefighters to put out the flames as it scorched 800 acres in less than 24 hours.

3/15/2018 Related Story: Wildfire Near Ochelata Continues To Burn

Rebecca Moses said she was worried the flames would burn her family's house. 

"We could barely see the house through all the flames and the smoke,” she said.

Moses said strong winds pushed the fire through her family's property. After burning acres of land, the flames stopped just feet from the family's home.

"It was very scary because I couldn't tell at that point if the house was gonna be damaged, much less the livestock that we were worried about," Moses said.

Longtime Ochelata resident Robbi Scott also had a close call.

"I'm used to it. I've lived here all my life. It happens every year at this time. It's the first time that I know of that the cemetery has caught on fire," she said.

Once the fire moved and the roads to the cemetery cleared. Scott went to check the damage.

“All the flowers are still there. It just burned right up to it and went out I guess," Scott said.

Firefighters from 11 different fire stations came to help, working against the wind to keep flames from touching houses or schools.

"They are volunteers and they don't have to be putting their lives on the line, and they are in desperate need for donations," Moses said.

If you'd like to help with donations, you can drop off cash, water bottles and small Gatorades at the following locations:

• Emergency Operations Center in Bartlesville
• Ramona Fire Department
• Vera Fire Department
• Ochelata Fire Department
• Oglesby Fire Department
• Washington County Fire Department
• Avant Fire Department
• Barnsdall Rural Fire Department
• Nelogoney Fire Department
• Dewey Fire Department
• Copan Fire Department
• Bartlesville Fire Department