OAN Staff Abril Elfi
1:17 PM – Sunday, March 16, 2025
A state of emergency has been declared for Oklahoma amid devastating fires.
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Governor Kevin Stitt (R-Okla.) stated that nearly 300 houses and structures have been destroyed by wildfires burning across the state and at least one person has died.
Many communities across Oklahoma have been affected, including Stillwater and Mannford.
“It was just a perfect storm,” Stitt said Saturday morning, revealing his own farmhouse north of Luther had been lost.
Stitt spoke at a news conference saying that there was a fatality from a vehicle accident caused by smoke in Mannford.
The governor also stated that approximately 170,000 acres have been burned.
Stitt has declared a “state of emergency” for 12 counties, which include Oklahoma, Cleveland, Creek, Dewey, Grady, Lincoln, Logan, Pawnee, Payne, Pottawatomie, Roger Mills and Stephens.
According to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management, the number of reported fires was more than 130 in 44 counties as of Friday night.
Stillwater Fire Chief Terry Essary said that in Stillwater alone, more than 50 homes and structures were impacted or lost by the wildfires.
Stitt put the number of homes and structures destroyed as of Friday night at 293. Annie Mack Vest, director of the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management, said that more than 200 of that total were homes.
“We’ll be rebuilding with the rest of Oklahoma,” said Stitt. “You never think it’s going to happen to your place. And these wildfires just come out of nowhere and can really take over.”
According to the American Red Cross of Oklahoma, 50 disaster workers are on the ground to support Oklahoma communities.
They also stated that they have provided about 160 overnight shelter stays and served almost 1,220 meals.
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