Keeping A Wary Eye On Oklahoma Fires

Firefighters remained on the scene of at least two wildfires Thursday morning after hot, windy conditions sparked an outbreak of fires that took a heavy toll on them, officials said.

Strong winds and temperatures were in the 90s Wednesday, far above normal for this time of year, made stopping the flames nearly impossible, reports CBS News correspondent Lee Cowan, although cooler weather, and possibly even welcome rain, were in the forecast for Thursday.

"We ran out of water before we could do anything," said one firefighter.

Fires near Duncan and near Chandler were under control, but firefighters remained to put out hot spots that might flare, said Anna Payne, a state fire information officer.

In hard-hit Stephens County in southwestern Oklahoma, two volunteer firefighters from Rush Springs suffered severe burns on Wednesday while battling an 8-mile long blaze that authorities believe was deliberately set.

"They got trapped and were overcome by fire and severely burned," said Sam Darst, public information officer for the city of Duncan, the county seat.

Destry Horton was flown by helicopter to Integris Baptist Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition Wednesday night. The other firefighter, whose name wasn't released, was in satisfactory condition at Duncan Regional Hospital, Darst said.

Authorities took one man into custody on suspicion of arson and were looking for another, Darst said.

"They do believe this fire was purposely set," Darst said.

That blaze destroyed at least 30 homes in the county and the Liberty Baptist Church near Meridian, Darst said. The blaze also forced the evacuations of a local nursing home, two schools, a technical center and the Family Dollar Distribution Center.

"So many of my neighbors, their homes are gone, they've lost everything," said a resident.

"It turns out it may have been a spark, of all things, that started this fire," Doug Warner of CBS affiliate KWTV told CBS Radio News from the aptly-named Sparks, Okla., volunteer firehouse. "Possibly somebody working a backhoe, trying to clear some cedar trees, which have been the main fuel for these fires in Oklahoma the past few months, somebody trying to do the right thing, possibly causing a spark, and the next thing you know, you had a fire and this thing raged out of control."

Other fires burned in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area and blazes were reported near Wagoner and Sallisaw in eastern Oklahoma, said Payne.

"We're asking people to remember there's a burn ban still in effect for Oklahoma, and tomorrow (Thursday) is expected to be about the same."

Three firefighters were reported injured while battling a blaze near Chandler that destroyed at least four structures, Payne said.

One of them was Carney Police and Fire Chief Greg Wilson, who was hospitalized at the OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City.

Chandler Assistant Fire Chief Bobby Johnson said firefighters were able to control the fire at times, but it moved too rapidly to extinguish.

"We won't know for days what all has been lost," Johnson said.

In Broken Arrow, one firefighter inhaled smoke and another sustained minor burns while helping suppress a possible arson blaze that charred about 300 acres, officials said.

In neighboring Tulsa, a lit cigarette is believed to have started a fire that blackened 300 to 500 acres, Tulsa Fire Capt. Larry Bowles said.

One barn was destroyed, and four other structures were threatened, officials said.

The fires came ahead of an approaching weather system that kicked up winds out of the south at 20 to 25 mph with higher gusts. Temperatures on Wednesday shattered records for March 1 in Oklahoma City, which hit 92 degrees, and Tulsa, where the temperature hit 93 degrees.

Nearly 500,000 acres have burned statewide since Nov. 1.