Governor, Federal Officials Tour Wildfire Damaged Counties

Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin joined FEMA Thursday to tour areas devastated by Oklahoma wildfires last weekend.

Along with officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Small Business Administration and the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management, the governor is touring portions of Cleveland, Creek, Oklahoma and Payne counties.

Families in those counties are still waiting to see if the federal government will provide disaster relief and low-interest loans to those in need.

Fallin says the assessments mark an important step toward qualifying for federal disaster assistance.

The governor says wildfire damage in the state has been enormous, burning hundreds of homes, tens of thousands of acres and causing at least one fatality.

Meanwhile, the Red Cross has opened a resource center at the First United Methodist Church at 100 East Greenwood in Mannford.

Red Cross says the center will offer more space for the many families looking for help. It will also give affected families more privacy as they meet with agency representatives and figure out how to recover from their losses.

Earlier this week, officials say the wildfires destroyed over 200 homes in Creek County alone.

8/7/2012 Related Story: New Report: 209 Homes Lost In Creek County Wildfires 

The resource center is open daily from noon to 7 p.m.