Southern Oklahoma Wildfire Contained

Friday, August 18th 2006, 9:01 am

By: News On 6

DAVIS, Okla. (AP) -- Firefighters have mostly contained a wildfire that sent clouds of thick smoke over southern Oklahoma and forced the closure of main highways through the area, authorities said Friday.

Interstate 35 was reopened at 10 PM Thursday and U.S. 77 was reopened at 5 AM Friday, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said.

Authorities closed 15-mile sections of the two highways in the Arbuckle Mountains area because of the fire, which burned across an estimated 2,500 acres and forced about 30 residents to evacuate the area.

Two firefighters had to be treated at the scene for heat exhaustion, but were not hospitalized.

Fire crews worked to keep the blaze away from cabin areas and scattered residences near the Falls Creek camp and Turner Falls.