Lake Carl Blackwell fire leaves many without campers
STILLWATER, Okla. (KFOR) — Last Friday's deadly wildfire outbreak affected so many communities.
One of the largest hit areas was Lake Carl Blackwell. Flames tore through campsites, even burning boat docks.
Not much remains at this particular area of the campsite, with people searching through the ash to try and find any remnants of what use to be there.
"We had a 30 foot trailer out here," Steve Sibley said. "We've had it since about 2018."
For Sibley, cherished memories have now turned into charred rubble.
"My wife enjoyed fishing out here and I mainly just kind of took care of the yard and maintenance things, really," Sibley said. "But yeah, it was you know, it was a good time to be coming out and camping."
Sibley says this place will always be special for him and his family.
"My wife and I, she's in health care, she provided hospice care for my brother for about the last four years of his life," Sibley said. "And we brought him out here to fish. He loved to fish. It's pretty cool for him, you know, to spend that time out here, and just to spend time with him."
Sibley says he and his wife were actually getting ready to relocate the camper before disaster struck on Friday.
"We had kind of planned on coming out here and clearing it out," Sibley said. "We had someone that was in line to get this lot and we were just ready to move the trailer to our property in Perkins."
Days after the fire, help is coming from near and far.
"I was like man, we got to get out here, we got to do something," Nikita Higbee said.
These two came down from Enid to help.
"We got down here and it was definitely worse than we expected," Higbee said.
"It was kind of emotional to come down here because it's way different than seeing it on the news, like coming down here in person, you actually see the devastation," Alexis Rejman said.
Although the clean-up is just beginning, Sibley says they will try and salvage what they can, and close this chapter of their life.
"My wife hasn't been out here yet, so she's probably going to be the one that's a little bit more emotional about it," Sibley said. "I just want to kind of pick through and grab a couple of things that I can take and start this process of getting the lot cleared."
There are places you can donate and shelters are open for those who have no place to go.
Stillwater Strong, Relief is an organized effort for residents who were most impacted by the wildfires to pick up essentials for personal and animal care, food, and beverages, while also receiving assistance and guidance with City services and recovery efforts, and mental health support. This effort of support and unity is available for items to be picked up on Wednesday, March 19, 4-6 p.m. and Saturday, March 22, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at the Stillwater Armory, 315 E 9th Street. For questions, organize pick-up of items, and needing assistance in other areas, email: stillwaterstrongrelief@gmail.com.
Donations can be dropped off at the Armory, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., with items most needed are gift cards, lotion, Chapstick, peanut butter, jelly, plastic tubs, bath towels, shampoo/conditioner, paper products, bleach wipes, sparking water, pasta and pasta sauce, macaroni and cheese, bread, eye drops, allergy medicine, body wash, soap, phone charging cords and blocks, wet wipes, and eyeglasses/readers.
To make monetary donations, go to: https://www.unitedwaypaynecounty.org/form/donate-today, click “YES” on the Stillwater Strong Relief button. The funds collected will remain in the Stillwater community for those directly affected by the wildfires.
The designated overnight shelter for wildfire victims is the Payne County Expo Center at 4518 Expo Circle E, Stillwater, OK 74075. This is a collaborative effort of the City of Stillwater, Payne County, and Red Cross (phone: 800-red-cross).