Oklahoma wildfires define Jed Castles' first day back as field meteorologist

On his first day back as a field meteorologist, Jed Castles set out to track wildfire conditions and strong winds, but what he encountered was far more severe than what he had expected.

Heading west, Castles saw overturned semis from the intense winds before being rerouted due to dangerous conditions. Returning to Oklahoma County, he witnessed massive fires near Arcadia, with thick smoke filling the sky.

While not all homes were lost, those that burned were consumed within minutes. At XXX Road and Coffee Creek Road, the smoke and dust were so intense that he struggled to keep his eyes open while standing far from a burning structure.

Despite the destruction, firefighters and local volunteers rushed to help. One volunteer summed up the community’s spirit: “We’re trying to uphold the Oklahoma Standard right now and do the neighborly thing, which is helping our neighbor out.”

Emergency crews continue working to contain the fires as Oklahomans come together to support those impacted.