Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas face tornado, wildfire threats

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Emergency officials in Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas are bracing for two types of disasters as spring gets into full swing: the start of what’s historically the most active time of year for tornadoes plus wildfire threats brought on by severe drought.

April, May and June are the most active months in the US for tornadoes. At the same time, the three states on the southern end of Tornado Alley are experiencing extreme and exceptional drought that could fuel wildfires.

Tornado Alley extends from northern Texas and covers much of Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota, plus slivers of New Mexico and Colorado, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Storm Prediction Center.

The past three years, the US has seen an average of more than 600 tornadoes during April, May and June, according to the center.

That is more than half the average of 1,186 tornadoes per year during that time span, although the numbers from the last three months of 2017 are still considered preliminary.

Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas are accustomed to preparing for multiple emergency situations happening at once and train with various agencies to account for different possibilities.

“We’re typically preparing for worst-case scenarios year-round anyway,” state Department of Emergency Management spokeswoman Keli Cain said, noting that Oklahoma has been struck by more tornadoes than any other US city, with more than 100 known twisters.

“We do have some experience at that. We plan for all hazards anyway,” Kain said.