Colorado fire impacts Oklahoma family

An Oklahoma woman fears for the safety of her family as a wildfire sweeps across Colorado. <br><br>The wind-whipped fire has forced about a thousand families to evacuate southwest of Denver. 200 additional

Thursday, April 25th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

An Oklahoma woman fears for the safety of her family as a wildfire sweeps across Colorado.

The wind-whipped fire has forced about a thousand families to evacuate southwest of Denver. 200 additional firefighters are expected to arrive sometime Thursday. A Henryetta woman hopes they'll be able to contain the fire soon. Her 90 year old father and her sister are among hundreds of people who've been forced to leave. Gael Warren-Phipps, "All I can do is tell my sister to keep her chin up and I love her, and tell dad I love him. And if God is willing, he won't take the ranch and my sisters' place."

At last word, the fire is about a half mile from her fathers home. A winter drought has left Colorado forests, farms and ranges bone dry, ushering in an early wildfire season.