Family Reflects On Devastating 2012 Wildfire As Burn Bans Reignite Concerns

As some areas experience record-high temperatures, more than 30 counties across Oklahoma are under a burn ban.

Creek County was under a burn ban back in August of 2012 when a wildfire tore through destroying more than 500 homes.

The hot and dry weather has Edith Stevenson remembering one of the hardest times in her family’s life

"There was no stopping that," she said.

In 2012, she and her family lived on about 300 acres of land just outside of Bristow.

Her daughter, Machelle remembers growing up there.

"All my aunts, uncles, cousins all lived on this acreage," she said. 

Edith says it was an evening in August when a wildfire started just miles from her nephew’s house.

"Everybody goes out and fights the fire and gets it knocked down and we think we’re done," she said. 

But the fire had grown bigger. Machelle helped move belongings from her family’s homes in fear that they wouldn’t be standing the next day.

"I remember going home at night and going to bed and just knowing you had to face it the next morning," she said. 

The family fought the fires throughout the entire 300 acres for several days.

"We would be at one house trying to save it and someone would call and say, 'It’s close to your house,' so we’d run over and try to save that one," said Stevenson. 

But they couldn’t save everything.

"When we were fighting at my parents' house, it went around, and it burnt my grandma's house to the ground," said Beard.

Mary Burke's home was destroyed. She was in a nursing home at the time and passed away shortly after, never knowing what happened.

"All that stuff burned up, so we don’t have that, we have memories, but our kids will never have those memories," said Stevenson. 

"Someone’s entire lifetime of memories is gone," said Beard.

They say that’s why it’s important to listen when a burn ban is in effect.

"It’s a major deal when it gets that bad because I had never lived through a fire like that in my entire life," said Stevenson. 

The Creek County burn ban went into effect Monday and is set to last for 2 weeks. Tulsa's burn ban is for a week, but the bans can be extended if conditions don't get any better. 

Related: Oklahoma's Burn Ban In Effect For 2nd Day Amid Dry Drought: See Full List Of Counties