Oklahoma and Texas are Burning

When we flew out of Oklahoma at the end of Thanksgiving weekend, the weather was much as it was yesterday, with very dry conditions and high winds. As we flew over Southern Oklahoma, we could see large grass fires burning unchecked.

With the conditions ripe for wildfires, they're having real problems in Oklahoma and Texas due to the high winds and fires:

MUSTANG, Okla. (AP) - Fires fueled by dry brush and driven by gusty wind damaged several homes in Oklahoma and Texas on Tuesday. Several firefighters and residents suffered minor injuries, authorities said.

In Oklahoma, the biggest fire burned at least 400 acres in a rural area near the town of Mustang, southwest of Oklahoma City.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry said dozens of fires, mostly in north and central parts of his state, prompted him to deploy firefighters and issue a disaster declaration.

"It's like trying to stop a 30-mph car coming down the street," Texas Deputy Fire Marshal Keith Ebel said. "The wind is the worst enemy right now."

The view from the airplane in November was incredible, but those fires were burning in open areas where there weren't many buildings or towns. The fires going now are heading right into populated areas. We have a little bit of experience in Southern California with wind-driven fires, so I can imagine what the firefighters are having to deal with back there.