Large grass fire in Cleveland County brought under control

Friday, February 10th 2006, 12:35 pm

By: News On 6

NOBLE, Okla. (AP) -- A wildfire swept across about 500 acres of grass and cedar trees and threatened a housing addition in southern Cleveland County Friday before firefighters managed to control the blaze.

"There are quite a bit of cedars in this area and they are rather explosive when any fire hits them," Norman Assistant Fire Chief Jim Bailey said.

Firefighters brought the blaze under control early Friday afternoon, and no injuries or structure fires were reported, Bailey said.

The fire apparently started next to a rural roadway in far south Norman before moving quickly toward Noble. It burned an area near the intersection of Oklahoma Highway 9 and U.S. Highway 77.

"The fire has been contained," Bailey said. "They've got a few hay bales that are still burning that they'll have to put out and some fence posts and smoldering trees."

20 fire units from Norman, Slaughterville, Noble, Moore and Little Axe worked on the blaze and spotter plane from the Forestry Department also aided the effort, he said.