PITTSBURG COUNTY, Okla. -- Residents in eastern Oklahoma who evacuated their homes to flee a wildfire have been allowed to return.
Pittsburg County Emergency Management Director Kevin Enloe says more than 100 people in Longtown who had to leave after the blaze broke out Monday were back home Tuesday afternoon.
Firefighters now say the fire that's burned 6,000 acres may have been caused by arson. Officials say empty homes in the area may have been set on fire.
The fire destroyed at least nine other homes. Two evacuees were hurt, but the severities of their injuries were unknown. Enloe says those two plus a firefighter who inhaled smoke have been treated and released.
The fire is roughly 25 percent contained.
Amid the growing fire, the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality advisory for parts of Oklahoma Tuesday.
UPDATE: McAlester Fire says 6,000 acres have burned so far. 1 firefighter injury, 2 evacuees sent to the hospital. @KJRH2HD #wakeupwith2 pic.twitter.com/Ig9UL2MbbO
— Darcy Jackson (@DJacksonKJRH) March 21, 2017
Pittsburg Co EM says they won't speculate on a cause yet, but say there are a few vacant houses that are "suspicious." @KJRH2HD #wakeupwith2
— Darcy Jackson (@DJacksonKJRH) March 21, 2017
A look at the burned area at Pittsburg/Haskell county line. @KJRH2HD #wakeupwith2 pic.twitter.com/NhkXC0Kh1t
— Darcy Jackson (@DJacksonKJRH) March 21, 2017
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