Published: April 10, 2009 11:45 am      

Wildfires devastate homes, lives

Davis — High, gusty winds fueled massive wildfires which destroyed structures and forced authorities to close roads Thursday.

Fires raged out of control from north Texas to Stillwater. Hundreds of homes and businesses had to be evacuated as thousands of acres burned.

Fueled by ferocious wind gusts of more than 50 miles per hour, one of the fires believed to have started near Ratliff City spread west, consuming everything in its path.

Davis firefighters were assisted by firefighters from Sulphur, Pauls Valley, Dougherty, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Hennepin and many other departments.

Davis residents Henry and Sandy Lanoy lived just off Dolese Road west of Interstate 35. Shortly after the fire incinerated their home, the Lanoy’s wandered their yard in shock. They escaped the fire with their lives and not much else.

They searched for anything that may have survived the fire while just feet away flames consumed what was left of their dreams.

The Lanoys were at home when the fire struck. Henry Lanoy said 40-feet tall flames roared over the hill as they barely escaped.

“Our house just burned to the ground,” Sandy Lanoy said as she sobbed. “We had a good house here, and now it’s all gone.”

As the Lanoy’s stood near the flaming rubble, a burning electric pole snapped in half leaving dangerous power lines swinging low to the ground. The family quickly got in their vehicle and headed for safer ground.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers and Murray County sheriff’s deputies closed a four-mile stretch of I-35 for hours while firefighters tried their best to contain the fire as it burned through the rough and rocky Arbuckle Mountains.

Traffic was backed up for miles as commuters were diverted onto State Highway 77 around the east side of the fire.

Some interstate travelers chose to wait out the fires at a travel stop at the intersection of I-35 and SH 7. Many stood along a fence in awe of the flames — some as high as 100-feet — which climbed over the mountains.

The fires were still burning and damage estimates were not available by press time.

According to the Associated Press, the fires in Oklahoma were most devastating along the I-35 corridor.

Weather forecasters predicted high winds and dry conditions again for Friday. More than one inch of rain is predicted for the area on Sunday.