(Cushing, Okla.) On Saturday April 4, 2015 the Yale Fire Department responded to a wildland fire two miles east of Yale, and one mile north, at Greenwood and Lakeview. The fire, which was attributed to low humidity, was fueled by moderate winds and burned an estimated 160 acres.
The Fire Department had to pull resources off of the fire at Greenwood and Lakeview to attend other fires which started as controlled burns that had gotten out of control. Firefighters also had to check out numerous other burns because the Fire Department was not notified.
Fire Departments, Emergency Management, and Police that assisted Yale in the firefighting efforts were Ingalls, Meramac, Cushing, Oilton, Skeedee, Blackburn, Pawnee Nation, Silver City, Glencoe, Payne County, and Ripley (for a total 45 personnel on hand from a total of 17 different Fire, Police, Emergency Management, and Red Cross Departments).
The cause of the fire is still undetermined and under investigation.
Local Fire Departments are stressing that on controlled burns residents should be sure and follow State Statue and notify their local Fire Department prior to the burn. Go to the Oklahoma Forestry Department to conduct a burn https://www.forestry.ok.gov/rxfire.
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