A routine permitted burn in rural Blaine County turned frightening on Thursday when the Cedar Canyon Fire flared back to life north of Hitchcock, injuring five firefighters and briefly overwhelming crews on the line.
Officials said the blaze began as a controlled burn about eight days earlier, then rekindled and took off, at times outpacing firefighters and disabling at least one truck as it burned rapidly behind an Okeene crew member. Injuries ranged from burns and head lacerations to a firefighter who developed cardiac symptoms and had to be airlifted for hospital care.
According to KOCO, Blaine County Emergency Manager Jim Shelton told the station that a firefighter from Loyal reported that "something was off" during a routine rehab check. Pafford paramedics transported that firefighter before the crew member was flown to INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City.
KOCO also reported that one Okeene firefighter suffered burns when the fire intensified behind him and knocked out his truck and pump, while another Okeene firefighter was treated for head lacerations. Two additional firefighters were evaluated for minor injuries at the scene and released.
How a permitted burn rekindled
Local officials said the Cedar Canyon Fire started when a previously permitted controlled burn rekindled on Thursday, eight days after it was first conducted. Under Oklahoma statute, landowners who carry out prescribed burns are required to file notification plans and alert nearby landowners and local forestry officials ahead of time.
The state’s smoke-management guidance spells out how those burns are supposed to be planned and monitored, with rules for notification and air-quality safeguards. The Oklahoma DEQ Smoke Management Plan highlights how shifting winds and rapidly changing weather can complicate even well-organized prescribed fires.
Where injured firefighters were taken
Blaine County’s emergency-management operation, led by director Jim Shelton, coordinates disaster and fire response in the area. The county’s emergency office and contact details are listed on the Blaine County Emergency Management page.
The firefighter who developed cardiac symptoms was flown to INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City, a regional tertiary facility listed at INTEGRIS Health Baptist. Pafford Medical Services, which transported the Loyal firefighter before the flight, operates paramedic-level ambulances across central Oklahoma and appears in the state EMS registry as an approved provider.
An already taxing spring for crews
The Cedar Canyon Fire adds to an exhausting and dangerous spring for firefighters in western Oklahoma. As KOCO noted, four firefighters were injured battling a large Beaver County wildfire in February, and two Goldsby firefighters were killed earlier this month in a crash while responding to a structure fire.
County officials say crews are closely watching conditions and are urging residents to skip outdoor burning on high-fire days. This story will be updated as more information is released by authorities.
