Oklahoma wildfire kills one person and forces 1,000 more to be evacuated

By Heide Brandes

OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) - More than 1,000 people have been forced to leave their homes in central Oklahoma because of a wildfire that has killed one person and threatened scores of buildings in its path, officials said on Monday.

High heat and winds have spurred the wildfire after the blazes broke out Sunday near Guthrie, 30 miles north of Oklahoma City.

Guthrie Fire Department Chief Eric Harlow said more than 40 agencies responded to help contain the wildfire, which has destroyed about 10 homes and left another 150 homes under threat from being engulfed in flames.

A 56-year-old man was killed on Sunday after he refused to leave his residence, Harlow said and at least 1,000 residents have been forced to flee the area.

Governor Mary Fallin toured the area Monday and proclaimed a state of emergency in 36 counties facing a high risk of fire.

(Editing by Jon Herskovitz)

[Image: A burned out car lies in the wake of the Logan County wildfire near Guthrie, Oklahoma May 5, 2014. By Richard Rowe for Reuters.]