Comanche County Wildfire Risk Rising, And A Blown Tire Shows Why It Matters

At the end of July, my sister, her husband, and I were driving on I-44 south of Lawton when we came across flames on the side of the road. We were shocked. No firetrucks were around, and the fire was spreading fast. Based on the tire shards on the side of the road, we assumed the fire was caused by a busted tire. We called emergency services to report the fire, and then continued on our weekend trip to Dallas.

The next day on our way back to Lawton, we looked to see the remnants of the fire we had reported the day before. The shoulder was chard for at least a mile, but assuming because we called the fire in just in time, the neighboring field full of baled hay was unscathed.

How A Tiny Spark Can Ignite A Wildfire

We were amazed at how much of the shoulder was burned by the fire. And we all were thankful that emergency crews got there in time to protect the neighboring field from igniting and spreading into a gigantic wildfire. It goes to show that it doesn't take but a small spark to start a wildfire, and a quick 911 call can make big difference.

On Friday, August 14, the Comanche County/Lawton Emergency Management posted to its official Facebook page that wildfire risk is increasing across the county due to extreme heat and drying conditions. The office is encouraging residents to use caution outdoors when working with anything that creates heat, flames or sparks.

• Avoid outdoor burning during hot, dry or windy conditions
• Secure trailer chains to keep from dragging
• Never park or drive over tall, dry grass
• Properly extinguish cigarettes or other lighted, smoking materials
• Use caution with equipment that can create sparks, like welding, mowing, grinding, etc.
• Keep vehicles and equipment maintained and free of dry vegetation

Comanche County residents are encouraged to call 911 to report a wildfire. A call can easily prevent a wildfire from spreading - my sister, her husband and I can attest to that.

READ MORE: How Discarded Cigarettes Almost Sparked A Wildfire In Lawton