Hundreds Of Children Flee Fires Near Church Camps In SW Oklahoma

News9.com

LONE WOLF, Oklahoma -- A wildfire raging on King Mountain south of Lone Wolf forced 400 campers to leave two church camps in the area Wednesday.

Oklahoma Red Cross spokesperson Rusty Surette says a total of  400 children have been evacuated.  Two hundred from the Quartz Mountain Christian camp have taken refuge at the Church of Christ in Hobart, while 200 campers from the Southwest Baptist Assembly are being sheltered at the First Baptist Church in Hobart.

Surette told News 9 This Morning no final decision has been made as to where the campers will go Thursday.  He says it's unlikely the children will return to the camps because the wildfire has flared up again, forcing the Oklahoma Highway Patrol to shut down State Highway 44 and State Highway 44A.

Firefighters from three counties are fighting the blaze.  It's believed lightning from a recent thunderstorm started the fire.

The Red Cross is providing food and water to the firefighters and is assisting with cots and blankets for the displaced campers.

No one has been hurt in the fire, and no homes have been destroyed.

For updates on the wildfire, visit the American Red Cross of Central Oklahoma's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/redcrossokc