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Firefighting Help
Requested
By ERIC O’KEEFE
Published: December 31, 2005
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Gov. Brad Henry cut short a vacation and returned to
Oklahoma City to oversee state and local efforts to combat grass fires
that have plagued parts of his state and North Texas this week. Mr.
Henry authorized the state agriculture secretary, Terry Peach, to request
14 firefighting teams from other states, and the state has been approved
for some federal aid. Unusually dry conditions, strong winds and high
temperatures are expected to last into next week. The Department of
Emergency Management attributes one death in the state to the fires
and estimates that 30,000 acres have been burned and more than 80 homes
and businesses destroyed in 22 counties since Tuesday.
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