Wind gusts pause use of 'super scooper' planes to fight Oklahoma wildfires Tuesday
Despite this, they have crews positioned all across the state in case a fire breaks out.
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Updated: 4:14 PM CDT Mar 18, 2025
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BE READY FOR ANYTHING. YEAH. WHEN WE FIRST PULLED UP HERE TO THE AIR PARK EARLIER TODAY, WE SAW TWO SUPER SCOOPER PLANES RIGHT HERE ON THE RUNWAY OF THE AIR PACK. AS YOU CAN SEE, NOT THERE ANYMORE. THAT’S BECAUSE THE PILOTS AREN’T CLEARED TO FLY ANYMORE. THEY HAD TO PUT THEM AWAY. THAT’S BECAUSE OF THIS LOVELY WIND THAT YOU HEAR HOWLING RIGHT NOW. AND IN THE MEANTIME, IT’S VERY MUCH WAIT AND SEE. IT’S EERILY QUIET RIGHT NOW. ANDY JAMES WITH OKLAHOMA FORESTRY SERVICES SAYS TEAMS ARE ON PINS AND NEEDLES TODAY, ESPECIALLY AFTER THIS PAST WEEK. THE WHOLE STATE IS SUSCEPTIBLE RIGHT NOW WITH THESE WINDS AND WITH THE FIRE ENVIRONMENT. BUT HERE’S A PROBLEM WITH THE HIGH WIND WARNING IN PLACE AND EXPECTATIONS THAT GUSTS COULD GET UP TO 70 MILES PER HOUR TONIGHT INTO TOMORROW, ANY POTENTIAL FIRES WILL BE DEALT WITH WITHOUT EXTRA RESOURCES LIKE THESE PLANES, WE’RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE ANY OF THE FIREFIGHTING AIRCRAFT THAT WE’VE BROUGHT IN FROM OUT OF STATE. IT’S IT’S, YOU KNOW, NOT NEAR AS BAD AS IT WAS LAST FRIDAY, BUT STILL, THE CONDITIONS ARE TO THE POINT WHERE, FOR THE SAFETY OF OF THE AIRCRAFT AND FOR THE CREW, THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET UP. JAMES SAYS. DESPITE THIS, THEY HAVE CREWS PRE-POSITIONED ACROSS THE STATE RIGHT NOW ON STANDBY FROM OKC OUTWARDS AND READY FOR WHATEVER COMES NEXT. WE ARE TRAINED ON THIS AT AN AT AN EARLY AGE IN THE WILDLAND FIRE SERVICE THAT IF YOU BASE THE SUCCESS OF YOUR OPERATION ON AIRCRAFT, YOU’RE ALREADY FAILING. SO IT’S IT’S A LUXURY AND WORK CONTINUES. SOMETHING ELSE THAT JAMES ALSO ASKS, DON’T DO ANY PRESCRIBED BURNS. DON’T DO ANY CONTROLLED BURNS BY YOURSELF. HE SAYS THAT HE’S STILL HEARING OF SOME PEOPLE TRYING TO BURN TRASH AND TO BURN DEBRIS. RIGHT NOW. DON’T DO THAT UNTIL WE GET A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF RAIN, BECAUSE THEY DON’T WANT T
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Wind gusts pause use of 'super scooper' planes to fight Oklahoma wildfires Tuesday
Despite this, they have crews positioned all across the state in case a fire breaks out.
The wildfire risk continues, and the Oklahoma Forestry Service is using the southwest parts of the state to get ready for anything. In Burns Flat, "super scooper" planes are stationed and deploy when they are needed to help fight wildfires. But because of high wind gusts on Tuesday, pilots weren't cleared to fly the planes. "It's eerily quiet right now," Andy James with the Oklahoma Forestry Service said. Teams are anticipating what could come on Tuesday, especially since wildfires that began on Friday killed four people and injured 200 across the state. "The whole state is susceptible right now with these winds and with the fire environment," James said. >> Video Below: 'That was wild': Planes drop retardant on wildfire in Logan CountyBut with a high wind warning in place and expectations that gusts could be as high as 70 mph on Tuesday night into Wednesday, any potential fires will be dealt with without extra resources like these planes. "We're not going to be able to utilize any of the firefighting aircraft that we've brought in from out of state. It's not near as bad as it was last Friday, but still, the conditions are to the point where for the safety of the aircraft and for the crew, they will not be able to get up," James said. Despite this, they have crews positioned all across the state in case a fire breaks out. "We are trained on this at an early age in the wildland fire service that, if you base success of your operation on aircraft, you're already failing. So, it's a luxury, and work continues," James said. >> Video Below: Tanker planes begin dropping water on Logan County firesJames asked that Oklahomans do not participate in any prescribed burns. He said people are still burning trash and brush piles. He asked that people hold off on these burns until the state sees a considerable amount of rain. Top Headlines Israel launches airstrikes in Gaza, breaking ceasefire Oklahoma wildfires spark again on Monday, prompting evacuations Measles cases have topped last year's numbers with 9 months left in 2025 Oklahoma Ethics Commission reaches settlement with Walters Lincoln County teen hospitalized after fire that killed his dad
BURNS FLAT, Okla. —
The wildfire risk continues, and the Oklahoma Forestry Service is using the southwest parts of the state to get ready for anything.
In Burns Flat, "super scooper" planes are stationed and deploy when they are needed to help fight wildfires. But because of high wind gusts on Tuesday, pilots weren't cleared to fly the planes.
"It's eerily quiet right now," Andy James with the Oklahoma Forestry Service said.
Teams are anticipating what could come on Tuesday, especially since wildfires that began on Friday killed four people and injured 200 across the state.
"The whole state is susceptible right now with these winds and with the fire environment," James said.
>> Video Below: 'That was wild': Planes drop retardant on wildfire in Logan County
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But with a high wind warning in place and expectations that gusts could be as high as 70 mph on Tuesday night into Wednesday, any potential fires will be dealt with without extra resources like these planes.
"We're not going to be able to utilize any of the firefighting aircraft that we've brought in from out of state. It's not near as bad as it was last Friday, but still, the conditions are to the point where for the safety of the aircraft and for the crew, they will not be able to get up," James said.
Despite this, they have crews positioned all across the state in case a fire breaks out.
"We are trained on this at an early age in the wildland fire service that, if you base success of your operation on aircraft, you're already failing. So, it's a luxury, and work continues," James said.
>> Video Below: Tanker planes begin dropping water on Logan County fires
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James asked that Oklahomans do not participate in any prescribed burns. He said people are still burning trash and brush piles.
He asked that people hold off on these burns until the state sees a considerable amount of rain.