The hottest afternoon of the hottest summer in Oklahoma history also offered gusty 20-30 mph winds, a giant hair dryer roaring amidst an exceptional drought that had left all manner of plant fuels extremely dry. Groves of cedar stood ready to erupt in flames at slightest provocation, their oily foliage badly dessicated by months with little rain, ready kindling poised atop layers of tinder in the form of dry grasses, leaves and weeds. Under such frighteningly favorable conditions, it is no wonder this fire scorched several square miles in one afternoon.
Norman OK (3 Aug 12) Looking SE
35.1890, -97.2831