GUYMON, OKLAHOMA -- It's being dubbed one of the largest grassfires in the history of the Oklahoma Panhandle. It's the grassfire that blew up 15 miles north of Guymon Tuesday afternoon and burned an estimated 7,700 acres. Pronews 7 sent a crew to assess the damage. The fire burned 2 homes, one vacant, the other belonging to a city employee who lost everything.
"We did all we could. We put as much water around the house as we could until we felt we weren't safe at that time. At some point you have to think ahead of the fire and just try to get it shut down and try to save other homes. Definitely, we don't like to loose any homes but it drives it home a little closer when its somebody that also works for the city," said Dean McFadden, Guymon Assistant Fire Chief.
The grassfire stared around 11:00 am Tuesday morning on Mile 22 and Road O. It took firefighters about 8 hours to put the blaze out. Homes were evacuated just west of Highway 136. Fire departments from Goodwell, Guymon, Texas County, Seward, Beaver, Hansford and many more helped put the blaze out.
"We finally got it stop about 2 miles east of Highway 136, it went approximately 12 miles about a little more of a mile at its widest spot that's preliminary figures about 7,700 acres," said McFadden.
Fire officials say the fire stared when a power line caught in the wind and hit the dry grass, sparking the blaze. Luckily, no injures have been reported. But one man did lose everything.
"He needs food, he needs clothes, he needs shoes, he needs shelter his immediate needs we step in and help do that," said Theresa Boyd, Northwest Oklahoma Chapter of the American Red Cross.
A fund has been set up at City National Bank in Guymon to help that fire victim. You can also donate to the Northwest Oklahoma Chapter of the American Red Cross. Click on the links for more information.
