Wildfire in Oklahoma

Events

604

Deaths

18

Injuries

73

Damage

$182 million

• Wildfire in Oklahoma, December 7, 20233 deaths · 2 injured · $200,000 · 1 eventA small grassfire impacted portions of Interstate 44, just south of the community of Chickasha. Heavy smoke reduced visibility and lead to a multiple vehicle accident, resulting in three (indirect) fatalities and at least two additional injuries.
• Wildfire and Dust Storm in Oklahoma, March 14 to 31, 20251 death · 6 injured · $50 million · 72 kt wind · 117 eventsAn intense upper system produced a historic wildfire outbreak and synoptic windstorm across the WFO Norman Forecast Area on the 14th. As a note, the first, last and highest magnitude wind gusts are those included in this episode for a particular zone (county).
• Wildfire in Oklahoma, March 13 to 29, 20252 deaths · $10 million · 11 eventsUnseasonably warm temperatures, high wind, and low relative humidity combined with dormant fuels to promote conditions that supported the rapid spread of wildfire across portions of eastern Oklahoma in mid to late March.
• Wildfire in Oklahoma, April 12 to 25, 20182 deaths · 10 injured · 7 eventsSeveral major wildfires were sparked on the 12th. Most significantly (in terms of size/extent) were the Rhea fire (mainly Dewey county, but also affecting Woodward and Custer counties), burning 286,196 acres, causing 1 fatality and 3 injuries (including a burnover of a truck),…
• Wildfire in Oklahoma, March 1, 20061 death · 7 injured · $15 million · 2 eventsHigh winds and record temperatures in the 90s combined with the already dry conditions across the area to increase the wildfire potential across parts of Oklahoma. Several wildfires occurred across the area on the first day of March.
• Wildfire in Oklahoma, November 27 to 30, 20051 death · 11 injured · $1.5 million · 10 eventsA powerful low pressure center tracked across the Central Plains on the 27th with a central pressure below 990 mb.
• Wildfire in Oklahoma, March 6 to 21, 20171 death · $1.2 million · 2 eventsThe OKS-Selman and OKS-283 fires burned 44,324 acres in Harper county and 69,396 acres in Woodward county, respectively, starting on the 6th and continuing for a few weeks.
• Wildfire in Oklahoma, December 27, 20051 death · $800,000 · 1 eventA wildfire in Hughes county burned approximately 10,000 acres resulting in the damage of 8 homes, 14 barns, and 20 small outbuildings. An elderly man was also killed by this fire when he tried to assist family members whose homes were in the path of the fire.
• Wildfire in Oklahoma, September 27, 20221 death · 8 injured · 1 eventThe Billings Fire burned during the afternoon of the 27th and was relatively small, only burning roughly 25 acres adjacent to Interstate 35. However, smoke from the fire led to near-zero visibility and caused a multiple car pileup on the interstate.
• Wildfire in Oklahoma, August 3 to 8, 2012$55 million · 1 eventVery hot temperatures, low relative humidity, very dry fuels, and gusty wind resulted in the spread of two large wildfires in Creek County. One of the fires burned 58,500 acres near Mannford and the other burned about 6500 acres near Drumright.
• Wildfire in Oklahoma, May 4 to 8, 20141 death · 2 injured · 2 eventsUnseasonably hot and dry conditions combined with strong and gusty southwest winds created an environment ripe for wildfires across much of Oklahoma. At least two large fires occurred the first week in May.
• Wildfire in Oklahoma, August 3 to 4, 20121 death · 9 eventsExtreme temperatures coupled with an low humidity, increased winds, and an ongoing drought led to several large wildfires across parts of Oklahoma. Some of the fires burned numerous structures.
• Wildfire and High Wind in Oklahoma, February 27 to 29, 2024$20 million · 59 kt wind · 6 eventsA good growing season through spring/summer 2023 led to decent fuel loading, compared to the previous couple of years, before vegetation went into winter dormancy.
• Wildfire in Oklahoma, November 29, 20051 death · 1 eventA wildfire near Wilson killed a woman. The woman died trying to keep the flames from reaching her home. She suffered smoke inhalation which eventually led to a heart attack.
• Wildfire in Oklahoma, February 4, 20061 death · 1 eventA man who was working on an oil rig's electrical box was injured when it short circuited. The sparks from the wires ignited a wildfire that severely burned him. He was flown by helicopter to a Tulsa hospital where he died on 2/8/06 from burn-related injuries.
• Wildfire in Oklahoma, March 3, 20171 death · 1 eventGrass fires burned 2.5 acres in Pottawatomie county on the 3rd. One fatality was reported. Numerous other small fires started around the state without significant impacts.
• Wildfire in Oklahoma, March 20, 20221 death · 1 eventThe Kings Road Fire burned 120 acres, with one fatality reported as firefighters responded to the fire.
• Wildfire and High Wind in Oklahoma, November 27 to 30, 20054 injured · $2.1 million · 56 kt wind · 14 eventsA strong surface low pressure moved across the southern and central Plains causing strong sustained surface winds across the western half to two-thirds of Oklahoma with some high wind gusts.
• Wildfire in Oklahoma, March 7 to 8, 20205 injured · $1.5 million · 1 eventThe 412 wildfire began around 1000CST about four miles east southeast of Balko Oklahoma in Beaver County. The wildfire was moving north northeast at a rate of one hundred and three feet per minute. The towns of Beaver and Forgan were evacuated.
• Wildfire and High Wind in Oklahoma, February 17 to 24, 20264 injured · $717,000 · 58 kt wind · 6 eventsA strong upper level weather system moved across the High Plains region and brought down very strong winds to the surface from the late morning to the late afternoon on February 17, 2026. Many locations across the Oklahoma Panhandle observed wind gusts o 60mph or greater.
• Wildfire in Oklahoma, April 3, 2011$3.5 million · 1 eventA large wildfire began six miles southwest of Guymon Oklahoma in Texas County around 1500 CST. The wildfire consumed a measured five hundred and one acres, destroyed three homes, three to four businesses and also numerous outbuildings.
• Wildfire and High Wind in Oklahoma, February 27 to 29, 2024$1.3 million · 55 kt wind · 8 eventsA powerful (130-150 knot) jet streak was positioned across the southern one-third of the CONUS during the day on the 27th. A very dry and warm airmass existed across the western half of the area by the afternoon.
• Wildfire in Oklahoma, August 2, 2011$1.8 million · 1 eventVery dry, hot, and breezy conditions, along with extremely dry fuels as a result of the long-term drought the region has experienced, promoted the rapid spread of a wildfire near Turley on the 2nd.
• Wildfire and High Wind in Oklahoma, March 31, 2023$616,000 · 67 kt wind · 20 eventsThe passage of a vigorous upper system produced widespread and multi-faceted weather hazards across the Southern Plains on the 31st. Across Oklahoma, hazardous weather occurred behind the passage of a dryline/Pacific front during the afternoon into early evening hours.
• Wildfire in Oklahoma, March 1 to 9, 2024$1.3 million · 3 eventsLarge wildfires, igniting during the 26-27 February 2024 Southern Plains Wildfire Outbreak, continued to burn into the first days of the month. See entries in February 2024 Storm Data for additional details on these fires.

Wildfire everywhereEvery kind of event in Oklahoma

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24.