Multiple Grass Fires and Motel Fire Keep Guymon Firefighters Busy Over Weekend

This past weekend, warm temperatures and extremely dry conditions formed a recipe for dangerous fires for local Firefighters.
Saturday afternoon at 1:10pm, Guymon Firefighters were called to assist Tyrone, Baker, Adams and Beaver County Firefighters on a Cotton field fire at Road P & Mile 59 on the far eastern side of Texas County. As Guymon units were responding to this fire, a new grass fire at Road B & Mile 36 northwest of Hooker was reported. Hooker units requested assistance from Guymon, Hough, and Optima on this fire which burned approximately 10 acres before Firefighters extinguished the fire. As Firefighters were cleaning up on this fire, a third fire at 1:30pm was reported south of Goodwell at Road FF & Mile 21. “Goodwell, Guymon, Texhoma, and Optima fire units responded to this blaze which burned approximately 20 acres”, according to Guymon Fire Chief Grant Wadley. The fires near Hooker and near Goodwell were found to be embers from burn barrels.

Sunday again Firefighters were called to action. The first fire Guymon responded to was at 12:25pm located on Hwy 54 & Mile 38 near Optima. This was a small fire on the side of the road which burned approximately 1 acre before it was extinguished. Shortly after this call at 12:27pm, Guymon Firefighters responded to a reported fire at the Ambassador Inn at 1909 N. Hwy 64 here in Guymon. “Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke coming from the lobby area of the motel and restaurant area”, said Wadley. Firefighters found that a kitchen fire behind the manager’s office had occurred and produced an extensive amount of smoke throughout the office and restaurant area. The office and entire restaurant area were evacuated by Motel Staff and further by first arriving Firefighters. The fire was quickly extinguished without any injuries reported.

The final and largest fire over the 2-days then occurred at 1:03pm Sunday afternoon. Guymon Firefighters were called to a fast moving grass fire located 1 mile east of the Beaver River bridge on Hwy 54 between Guymon and Optima on the south side of the highway. Firefighters from Guymon, Optima, Goodwell, Hardesty, Texhoma, Hough, and Adams fought this 60 acre fire for the next 2 hours. 3 homes and 5 large structures were saved from fire due to the quick actions of area Firefighters. It was determined this fire was caused by a vehicle dragging chains or a failed brake bearing which was traveling east bound on Hwy 54. 2 more fires were reported along the roadway near Optima at the same time as well. Hooker Firefighters while responding to assist Guymon also had a 10-20 acre fire due to what they suspected from the same vehicle near Muse Cat Salvage yard west of Hooker on Hwy 54.

Fire Chief Wadley expresses his concern to everyone of the extreme dry conditions in the immediate area. “The various temperatures and extremely dry vegetation along with the dry humidity levels is the perfect recipe for large grass fires to occur with just the smallest spark or flame”, says Wadley. If you should observe smoke or see the beginning of a fire please call 911 immediately.