Oklahoma-Texas Fires, California Mud Slides-Floods

By ASHLEY GIBSON, Associated Press Writer

A rash of wildfires raged Sunday across Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico, including one that burned several homes in northeastern Oklahoma City.

Several city residents were evacuated but no injuries were reported, Fire Maj. Brian Stanaland said. Television images showed at least one large structure engulfed in flames.

At least a dozen wildfires continued to burn across Oklahoma Sunday evening, urged on by winds up to 50 mph and hot, dry weather. A large blaze near Guthrie threatened several homes, said Michelann Ooten, a spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management.

At least 20 fires sprang up in Texas, including an 8,000-acre blaze that threatened up to 200 homes near Carbon, about 125 miles west of Dallas. In Hobbs, N.M., a grass fire forced the evacuation of a casino, community college and neighborhoods.

High winds, record-high temperatures and drought-like conditions across much of the region have increased the fire danger to critical levels. Wildfires in Oklahoma and Texas last week ravaged more than

50,000 acres, destroyed nearly 100 homes and businesses and killed four people.

At least 15 grass fires burned in the metro area Sunday afternoon, consuming more than 100 acres, Stanaland said.

"Today has been extremely intense," he said. "I think it's maybe starting to take its toll on our department."

Power lines arced and sparked one grass fire in northeast Oklahoma City. While firefighters battled that blaze, high winds tossed material from a nearby construction site into power lines, causing the debris to burn before it landed on a nearby nursing home, Stanaland said.

"You basically had flying, flaming debris," Stanaland said. "Luckily, we were already on the scene putting out the fires when it happened so we were able to put it out."

A fire near Wainwright in Muskogee County charred several thousand acres and was at least a mile wide, but no injuries or structure fires were reported, said Bill Beebe, an information officer at a statewide command center established in Shawnee.

Oklahoma had called on firefighters from across the South to help battle the blazes, which had been predicted over the weekend.

In Carbon, Texas, at least three homes and several barns were destroyed Sunday afternoon and area residents were evacuated, said Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Traci Weaver.

Helicopters with the Texas Air National Guard help firefighters battle the blaze. Billowing clouds of light gray smoke hung across the horizon for miles.

Carbon is just northeast of Cross Plains, where more than 90 homes and a church were destroyed in a raging grass fire last week.

"We just took up money for the folks in Cross Plains at church this morning, never thinking it would be us in just three hours," said Mallory Fagan, who waited in nearby Eastland with her daughter Shana Fuchs and 15 dogs they rounded up from the family's dog rescue.

Fires raged along the Texas state line in New Mexico, including one reported at 40,000 to 50,000 acres along 20-mile line, said Dan Ware, a spokesman for the state Forestry Division.

Four structures burned in Hobbs, where residents -- including 27 living at a nursing home -- evacuated the western side of the city, Ware said.

And, the other extreme -- water, lots of it -- was the story in parts of northern California where the water in some low-lying spots along the Russian River reached _five feet_, forcing the evacuation of homes and attempts to salvage merchandise from stores.

Associated Press writer Angela K. Brown in Carbon, Texas, contributed to this report.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press.

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[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The situation in Oklahoma is becoming _very critical_. A dozen or so fires are burning out of control through much of the state. Oklahoma Governor (Brad) Henry was on our television and radio throughout the day on Sunday advising Oklahoma residents on what was happening, and what steps the state is taking to deal with the out of control fires. One neighborhood in Oklahoma City burned on Sunday morning; in neighboring Texas two small towns were completely destroyed. Firemen are exhausted but continuing their work. According to Governor Henry, they got some relief on Monday due to cooler temperatures and more humidity. But Tuesday is supposed to be like the weekend, wamer than usual and very dry. Here in Independence on Sunday the temperature reached eighty degrees most of the afternoon. PAT]

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