Disaster relief approved for April wildfires

The federal government on Monday authorized disaster aid to five counties affected by April wildfires.

Gov. Mary Fallin requested the disaster declaration, which will release federal funding to assist municipalities, counties and rural electric cooperatives with infrastructure repairs and other eligible costs.

The counties that were affected by the fires were Custer, Dewey, Harmon, Roger Mills and Woodward. Pushmataha County, which was also included in Fallin’s request after severe weather and wind damage that occurred during the same time period, has not been approved for federal assistance.

The wildfires burned thousands of acres for days in northwestern Oklahoma, including the Rhea fire that alone engulfed 286,196 acres. It led to evacuations, including entire towns of Vici, Seiling and other area communities.

Some local election board functions in Dewey County were temporarily disrupted because of evacuations in Taloga.

Damage assessments indicate the fires, along with the severe storms, resulted in more than $6.8 million in infrastructure damage and other costs, not including those associated with responding to the fires.

Two deaths and multiple injuries also were attributed to the wildfires.

Additional counties may be added to the public assistance declaration request at a later date should conditions warrant, Fallin said.

Agricultural officials estimated the Rhea and nearby 34 Complex wildfires burning in Dewey and Woodward counties killed at least 1,100 head of cattle. Experts said it could have been worse, and pointed to fires a year ago that burned 318,025 acres and killed more than 3,000 animals.

During the April fires, the Oklahoma National Guard was dispatched to help put out the flames.