OK Forestry Department Anticipating High Burn Numbers Following Wildfires

Oklahoma Forestry Services said, by far, eastern Oklahoma was hit the hardest by Thursday’s wildfires.

The damage is so widespread, emergency management directors all over the area said it’ll take days to determine the exact amount of damage caused.

They are all still surveying but their estimates are around 90,000 acres burned, but that number is expected to increase.

With the high winds Thursday, one by one, fires ignited across eastern Oklahoma.

From the sky, we saw structures burning in Okmulgee County, as well as barns and homes destroyed in Pawnee County.

2/18/2016 Related Story: Okmulgee County Grass Fire Forcing Evacuations

2/18/2016 Related Story: Large Pawnee County Grass Fires Cause Evacuations, Shut Down Highways

From the ground, firefighters in McIntosh County took extreme measures and fought fire with fire.

2/18/2016 Related Story: Chief Believes Brooken Mountain Grass Fire Intentionally Set

Firefighters estimate 200 to 300 feet of grass burned per minute in most areas.

"It's a whole different monster when you have the winds and humidity where it was at," said Cabin Creek Fire captain, Jason Miller.

The Oklahoma Forestry Services Department sent Blackhawks to many of the fires. The department said most fires in the state stretched from Osage County, south to Okfuskee County - and fires are still burning.

County emergency management directors are surveying damage this weekend, but here are their initial findings:

• Between Okmulgee and Okfuskee County, an estimated 64,000 acres, and, at least, five homes, burned.
• In Osage County about 7,500 acres burned, and there are still three fires. Crews will survey this weekend.
• County leaders in Pittsburg County are predicting 5,000 acres burned.
• Pawnee County leaders say about 6,000 acres have burned and six homes.

And firefighters’ jobs are still not done.

Randell Crew with Pawnee County emergency management said, "We still have extreme conditions, so we are going to have to monitor it pretty close."

“It's been exhausting. We haven't had time to rest. Most of these guys haven't been to sleep yet," said Chief Thomas Taylor with the North 48 Fire Department.

There are other counties with damage but they didn’t return our calls.

County leaders said, as long as new fires don’t flare up, they will have a better idea of the full extent of the damage by the end of the weekend.