Medicine Park evacuated due to fires

[pphilfran]

http://www.news9.com/story/14967782/med

They have shown some video on CNN...

MEDICINE PARK, Oklahoma -- A massive wildfire has burned approximately 5,000 acres and has forced the evacuation of dozens of homes and businesses near Medicine Park.

The flames have already destroyed at least four homes. The Comanche County public information officer reported 25 fire departments are on the scene. Fort Sill is providing firefighters, fuel, food and water to all fire crews.

Approximately 100 homes and businesses have been evacuated. No injuries have been reported.

The fire began early Thursday afternoon on Fort Sill's west range and jumped the northern boundary road and SH 49 by early evening.

Evacuations began in the area of Big Rock and evacuation orders have been extended to the entire town of Medicine Park.

According to Lawton TV station KSWO, emergency responders are advising people who live in Medicine Park who are not at home to stay away until the fire danger passes.

[The Profit]

Get out there now with a water hose and protect The Meers Store.

[pphilfran]

Get out there now with a water hose and protect The Meers Store.

No need...if it burns they can rebuild it with toothpicks and plastic sheets for windows....

[Lawton4Life]

Last i heard Meers was keeping very selective hours and was run by different folks now. Is this the case?

Since my folks moved out to NC in 98 I dont really have a reason to go out to Ltown these days.

[pphilfran]

Last i heard Meers was keeping very selective hours and was run by different folks now. Is this the case?

Since my folks moved out to NC in 98 I dont really have a reason to go out to Ltown these days.

Not sure....I only go there to eat every couple of years...on the weekends it is still crowded....

[rekamrettuB]

Dang. That place is very cool. Hopefully no lives are lost and businesses/attractions destroyed.

[SoCaliSooner]

If you paid your firefighters more money, there would be no fires.

[Lawton4Life]

If you paid your firefighters more money, there would be no fires.

If there were no fires, why would we need firefighters?

:D

[pphilfran]

If you paid your firefighters more money, there would be no fires.

This particular fire started on Ft Sill and jumped the fence into private land....

[thecynic]

This particular fire started on Ft Sill and jumped the fence into private land....


so the government started it? bastages!

[rekamrettuB]

If you paid your firefighters more money, there would be no fires.

Then Cali firefighters must be working gratis.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/AERONET_La_Jolla.2007297.aqua.250m.jpg/800px-AERONET_La_Jolla.2007297.aqua.250m.jpg

[The Profit]

If you paid your firefighters more money, there would be no fires.




Sometimes, when there are no fires, firemen start them.

[pphilfran]

Sometimes, when there are no fires, firemen start them.

Uh, oh...going downhill now....:D

[The Profit]

Uh, oh...going downhill now....:D




Nah, he asked for it. Phil, is the fire coming right down into Schoolhouse Slough? I have heard that there are fire departments from as far as Norman and Choctaw headed down there.

[pphilfran]

Nah, he asked for it. Phil, is the fire coming right down into Schoolhouse Slough? I have heard that there are fire departments from as far as Norman and Choctaw headed down there.

I can't see any smoke from my house...I think it was up on the Big Rock hillside to the east of town and was working it's way west....Big Rock is the hill that overlooks the lake....I think the slough was safe...it must have come across somewhere around the fish hatchery and the Y that goes to Medicine Park and the Refuge....not sure though...

I'll take a drive out there and see what it looks like...be back in an hour....

[pphilfran]

The thing has fired back up...it looks like it is on the east side of the mountain and heading towards the slough...probably a a dozen helicopters dropping water...

It looks bad, damn bad...

No pics cause I turned off prior to the road closings to stay out of the way...

[soonerchk]

I hope they're protecting the casinos!

[pphilfran]

I hope they're protecting the casinos!

No casino within 5 miles of the fire...

[soonerchk]

No casino within 5 miles of the fire...

I actually do a lot of business in that area, and I'm hoping all my people are safe.

[pphilfran]

I actually do a lot of business in that area, and I'm hoping all my people are safe.

Say your prayers...

It is a 100 with strong winds from the south...so they are eating a bunch of smoke...you gotta be a tough sob to be out fighting that thing...they have a massive effort under way...I saw at least 50 fire fighting vehicles...the Chinooks were picking up water at a stock pond that I passed... I stayed farther away than I could have gotten...no way into Medicine Park or the south side of Lawtonka....

[soonerchk]

Say your prayers...

It is a 100 with strong winds from the south...so they are eating a bunch of smoke...you gotta be a tough sob to be out fighting that thing...they have a massive effort under way...I saw at least 50 fire fighting vehicles...the Chinooks were picking up water at a stock pond that I passed... I stayed farther away than I could have gotten...no way into Medicine Park or the south side of Lawtonka....

Yeah, I just called a couple of the offices and they are already shut down. I hope everyone stays safe.

[The Profit]

Phil, I have a cousin, who lives in that nice addition north of Robinson's Landing. How is he looking?

[pphilfran]

Phil, I have a cousin, who lives in that nice addition north of Robinson's Landing. How is he looking?

Nowhere near there....the north end of the lake looks to be ok at the current time...I am pretty sure could I have gotten to Meers but I didn't head that far north...

It looks to me it is going to spread some more...there were several small fires two miles from the main fire that smaller groups of firefighter were getting after...

I wanted to stay away from the workers and didn't want to get caught up in a new blaze so I hauled azz back home...

[soonercruiser]

Bad news. :(
Stay safe Phil!

[SoCaliSooner]

Sometimes, when there are no fires, firemen start them.

A guy can make $5k-$10k on a good fire out here. That right there is motive to go all John Orr on a field. However, with news crews broadcasting how dry conditions are, high winds and essentially telling nut job arsonists when and where to start a fire, it doesn't take much to give these sparkers incentive.