Norman residents recount Friday wildfires, in disbelief over devastation
NORMAN, Okla. (KFOR) — Cleveland County is one of the many counties listed under the Governor's state of emergency.
The National Weather Service issued an evacuation order Friday for people living in East Norman. There were six wildfires reported there.
A Norman resident spoke with News 4 about the moment evacuation alerts were issued.
"It was a little crazy getting that text message that you can't go back to your house," said Katie Swindell.
Other neighbors described being shaken and didn't want to go on-camera, but said they didn't return home until Saturday morning.
Katie Swindell wasn't home when evacuations were issued, but remembers the chaos on the roads as she was attempting to drive home.
"The traffic was terrible, they had everyone stage. They had these roads blocked off on both sides so nobody can get in, and then you've got everybody trying to turn around and do all of that. Yeah, it was it was terrible," she said.
Swindell's home is in a Northeast Norman neighborhood near 180th and Tecumseh. She watched her neighbors home burst into flames from her ring camera.
"Just watching it from the ring camera, you can't do anything. You just have to watch it. It's terrible. And I was crying because I was like, that's it. I just feel awful because you don't know if they were home," she said.
As of Saturday afternoon Swindell said she learned her neighbors were not home at the time of the fire.
The City of Norman said all fires are 100% contained at this time. So far, they say seven homes and 20 outbuildings have burned down.