In western Oklahoma, a region suffering through an exceptionally harsh drought and now enduring dangerously hot and dry conditions, several wildfires have recently broken out, including the Rhea Fire, a “megafire” which has burned more than 260,000 acres since April 12. Megafire is a term used by the National Interagency Fire Center for a wildfire larger than 100,000 acres. The Rhea Fire, one of four major wildfires currently burning across Oklahoma, has claimed two lives so far, destroyed dozens of homes, and is expected to remain uncontained through the weekend. For more details on the conditions in Oklahoma, read Why Is Oklahoma Burning? from Weather Underground.
The Megafire Burning in Oklahoma
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Read moreThis April 13, 2018, satellite image from the European Space Agency's Sentinel-2B shows part of the Rhea Fire burning just south of the town of Vici, Oklahoma, visible at lower left. #
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Read moreThe Rhea Fire burns in the distance behind a wind farm near Seiling, Oklahoma, on April 17, 2018. #
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Read moreThe wildfire burns through a grove of red cedar trees near Seiling, Oklahoma, on April 17, 2018. #
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Read moreA firefighter works to control the Rhea Fire near Seiling on April 17, 2018. #
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Read moreA grove of trees destroyed by the Rhea Fire near Taloga, Oklahoma, on April 17, 2018. #
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Read morePastures burned by the Rhea Fire near Taloga. #
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Read moreCattle that were killed by the Rhea Fire, pictured near Taloga on April 17, 2018. #
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Read moreThe remains of Larry and Arlinda Lynes's home, which was destroyed by the Rhea Fire near Taloga, photographed on April 17, 2018. #
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Read moreDavid Bailey (left) and Bobby Yoder remove tin roofing from the remains of Larry and Arlinda Lynes's home on April 17, 2018. #
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Read moreArlinda and Larry Lynes stand in front of what remains of their home near Taloga, Oklahoma, on April 17, 2018. #
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Read moreJohnny Lynes sifts through the remains of his parents home on April 17, 2018. #
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Read moreThe Rhea Fire burns through a grove of red cedar trees near Seiling on April 17, 2018. #
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Read moreA Canadair CL-415 performs a water drop on the Rhea Fire near Seiling on April 17, 2018. #
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Read moreThe wildfire burns through a grove of red cedar trees near Seiling on April 17, 2018. #
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Read moreThe sun sets through smoke from the Rhea Fire on a wind farm near Seiling on April 17, 2018. #
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Read moreThe Rhea Fire burns into the night on April 17, 2018. #
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Read moreFirefighters struggle to control the Rhea Fire near Seiling on April 17, 2018. #
Nick Oxford / Reuters -
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Read moreBurned trees and brush smolder as the Rhea Fire burns into the night near Seiling, Oklahoma, on April 17, 2018. #
Nick Oxford / Reuters
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