Oklahoma Fires

Daily Wildfire Report for Oklahoma - May 19, 2026

Overview

Oklahoma is currently experiencing an active wildfire season, particularly in the Panhandle and extreme western regions. A combination of persistent drought conditions, strong winds, and critically low humidity has created a highly volatile fire environment over the past several days. The National Preparedness Level is currently at 2, indicating that while multiple geographic areas are experiencing wildland fire activity, national resources are sufficient to manage incidents without severe strain.

Current Situation

Fire Activity: Over the last 72 hours, Oklahoma Forestry Services and local fire departments have been actively engaged in suppressing multiple significant wildfires, primarily in the western part of the state. Recent fire weather has driven rapid fire spread in dry rangeland fuels, though an approaching cold front and potential rainfall are expected to aid containment efforts.

Key Fires:

• Tex-OK Fire: Located 8 miles southeast of Boise City in Cimarron County, this fire has burned 23,884 acres and is currently 70% contained. Fueled primarily by short grass, it is currently exhibiting minimal fire behavior with creeping and smoldering.
• Sharpe Fire: Burning 14 miles northwest of Boise City across Cimarron County (OK) and Baca County (CO), this fire has reached an estimated 13,200 combined acres (11,047 acres in Oklahoma) and is 5% contained. Fueled by grass and brush, it is showing moderate fire behavior with smoldering and creeping.
• Ballard / Stateline Fire: Located 17 miles northeast of Boise City, this fire has burned 18,321 combined acres across Oklahoma and Colorado (9,882 acres in OK) and is 65% contained. It is fueled by grass and exhibiting moderate fire behavior with creeping and smoldering.
• Wolf Canyon Fire: Burning in Beaver County and crossing into Kansas, the Oklahoma portion has reached 3,267 acres and is 40% contained. The fire is fueled by grass and brush.

Prescribed Burns and Land Management: Oklahoma Forestry Services is actively scaling the Prescribed Fire Association Network, particularly in eastern Oklahoma. These associations pool equipment and share expertise to help private landowners conduct safe prescribed burns, aiming to reduce dangerous fuel accumulations and restore fire-adapted ecosystems. Additionally, burn bans remain dynamic across the state; residents are urged to check with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry for the most current county-by-county burn ban status.

Weather and Wind Warnings

Current Weather: A strong cold front has entered Oklahoma, progressing southeast and bringing cooler temperatures in the 70s, higher relative humidity, and calmer northeast winds. This post-frontal environment is offering much less concerning fire weather for the Panhandle and far western Oklahoma today.
Forecasted Weather: While Red Flag Warnings were recently in effect due to 20-30 mph sustained west-southwesterly winds (with gusts over 40 mph) and 5-15% humidity, the current cooling trend is expected to significantly decrease rates of fire spread. There is optimism for widespread rainfall opportunities across the Panhandle and the rest of the state heading into Wednesday and Thursday, which will further assist firefighting efforts.

Recommendations

Public Awareness: Residents in the Panhandle and western counties should remain vigilant, as dry fuels can still support active burning conditions. Please check local county burn bans before conducting any outdoor burning. Ensure that any outdoor cooking or equipment use is done with extreme caution to prevent accidental ignitions.
Resource Allocation: Oklahoma Forestry Services maintains 24/7 initial attack resources and is prepositioning equipment across the state based on the fire environment and activity. Local fire departments continue to lead suppression efforts in central and western Oklahoma.

Resources

For up-to-date emergency information, residents can visit:
National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC): www.nifc.gov/fire-information/nfn
Oklahoma Forestry Services: ag.ok.gov/divisions/forestry-services

Stay informed and prepared by monitoring these resources regularly.