'Quite Scary:' More Than 12,000 Acres Burned In SW Oklahoma As Wildfire Continues Spread

Assistance from across the nation is expected to arrive in Oklahoma on Monday as a wildfire continues to burn portions of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.

Less than half the fire has been contained, according to officials, and over 12,000 acres have burned, costing an estimated $800,000 in damage.

More than two dozen agencies and 150 firefighters have been working to contain the massive blaze.

"This has truly been a local, county, state, Federal and tribal response," Comanche County Emergency Management director Clint Langford said. "There's been a lot of integration, a lot of coordination. Really feel like we've accomplished a lot in the last couple of days to secure these lines."

No evacuations are currently in place, but residents are reminded to be vigilant in case an evacuation is issued.

John Zelbst, a lawyer living in the town of Meers, said his family and neighbors are safe despite the danger.

"On our ranch, about 1,000 acres on the west side of the ranch is burnt up," Zelbst said. "We’ve got it knocked down and fire breaks in there, but with this wind, I tell you we’re all hands on deck."

Zelbst said the situation is scary for those living in the area.

"It's quite scary, to tell you the truth," Zelbst said. "We've done everything we can, the people in this area, to protect our beautiful country. It's a unique area, as you know; your heart just about drops when you start seeing what you work for all your life burn up."

Zelbst said he and others in the area have taken precautions to protect their land, including controlled burns to deny the main wildfire any additional fuel.

"We back-burned as much as we could when we had a north wind the last couple days," Zelbst said. "There's places we couldn't get to, and if it [the wildfire] comes out of there we're in trouble. I don't know what'll happen."