Troopers also closed I-35 at mile marker 186 near Perry because of fire. Further south, I-35 was closed along with State Highway 51 west of Stillwater. A Payne County Sheriff's dispatcher said smoke from the fires caused several wrecks on I-35. Some of those wrecks caused minor injuries, the dispatcher said.
Stillwater firefighters were battling the blaze, along with firefighters from other cities in the area.
Red Cross sets up shelters
The American Red Cross of Central Oklahoma opened a shelter at the Alex School, State Highway 19 and Main Street, in Grady County to provide food, drinks and housing to the residents of nearby Bradley, who were asked to evacuate.
Red Cross workers were also providing food and water at the evacuation center at the Midwest City Community Center, located at North Midwest Blvd. and Reno. Red Cross spokeswoman April Wilkerson said the center is open to anyone who has been evacuated, even if they don't live in Midwest City.
The Payne County Red Cross also opened a shelter at the Stillwater Community Center, Wilkerson said.
The Red Cross also sent emergency response vehicles to several areas across the state to provide food and drinks to firefighters battling the flames.
Wilkerson said all the shelters opened are short term evacuation shelters, not long-term housing for those whose houses might have burned down.
“We're just kind of watching the damage,” Wilkerson said. “We'll work with the local authorities to see if anything more long term is needed.”
Contributing: Staff Writers Michael Kimball, Ann Kelley, Robert Medley, Brian Sargent, Nolan Clay, Jennifer Griswold
Update: 8:53 p.m.
Angie Jarman, who lives about eight miles north of Lindsay, will spend the night sitting alongside a county road near State Highway 76 and hope her home is still there in the morning.
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