Red flag and high wing warnings were in effect for several states.
Several wildfires have broken out in Texas and Oklahoma, prompting evacuations, amid extreme fire weather conditions on Friday.
The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center warned of “near historic” fire conditions in the Plains.
Firefighters battle a wildfire in Oklahoma City, March 14, 2025.
Red flag and high wing warnings were in effect for several states in the Plains and Midwest on Friday.
Very dry, warm and windy conditions made for extreme fire weather conditions across Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.
“Several large wildfire complexes” were burning Friday evening across central, northern, and western Oklahoma, the National Weather Service in Norman said.
A residence burns during a wildfire in Stillwater, Oklahoma, U.S., March 14, 2025. REUTERS/Nick Oxford
The NWS advised residents to evacuate due to a “complex of extremely dangerous fires is located along the southern and eastern parts of Lake Carl Blackwell.”
In Texas, the Windmill Fire ignited in Roberts County, growing to an estimated 11,000 acres, Texas A&M Forest Service said. It was 50% contained as of Friday evening, with forward progression stopped, it said.
Parts of Gray County, Texas, were temporarily under a mandatory evacuation due to the Rest Area Fire, the Texas A&M Forest Service said. The fire has burned an estimated 3,000 and was 30% contained as of Friday evening, it said.
In this photo released by the Texas Department of Safety on March 14, 2025, debris from is shown strewn along the highway after cars crashed during low visibility and high winds across the Amarillo District, mostly occurring in Potter, Randall, and Oldham County at the time this photo was posted.
Texas DPS – Northwest Texas Region/FaceBook
Dust storms were also reported in Texas and Oklahoma amid the strong winds in the region.
Several crashes were reported in northwest Texas on Friday amid low visibility from blowing dust, the Texas Department of Public Safety said while warning of “dangerous conditions.”
The NWS in Norman also warned of low visibility in parts of northwest Oklahoma due to a dust storm.
