The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

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July 10, 2009

Rural fire departments attack wildfire in western Major County

By Joe Malan, Staff Writer

CHESTER — A large fire in Major County darkened skies in the Enid area Friday afternoon as crews from surrounding counties raced to put out the blaze.

The fire originated approximately four miles north and two miles east of Chester in far western Major County, said Woodward County Emergency Management Director Matt Lehenbauer. By 8:35 p.m., the fire remained uncontrolled and had begun spreading north toward the intersection of U.S. 281 and U.S. 412, according to the Major County Sheriff’s Department.

By press time, the official cause of the blaze was unknown. Lehenbauer said there was some talk the fire was started by arson, while there were other people who said the fire started when a transformer blew north of the town.

Whatever the cause, local authorities worked into the evening to control the fire. According to Waukomis Fire Chief Clarence Maly, Garfield County sent three-man grass rigs from Douglas, Covington and Waukomis to fight the fire, along with a grass rig from Pond Creek in Grant County.

Additionally, Enid and Garfield County Emergency Management Director Mike Honigsberg responded to the fire.

Lehenbauer said earlier in the afternoon local authorities had considered flying in National Guard Blackhawk helicopters from Tulsa or Lexington, but it was unlikely they would reach the blaze before sundown.

Lehenbauer said the last time the region experienced a fire this damaging was in January or February.

“It’s not what we saw then, but this is the largest fire we’ve had in the northwest Oklahoma area (since then),” he said.

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