Wildfire burns across thousands of acres in Kansas, Oklahoma

KIOWA, Kan. (AP) – Authorities say a wildfire that started in Oklahoma and spread into Kansas has burned tens of thousands of acres of rural land.

The National Weather Service says the fire started Tuesday night near the Kansas border in Woods County, Oklahoma. Wind gusts of up to 30 mph helped spread the blaze into Barber and Comanche counties in western Kansas.

Forecasters say parts of New Mexico and Texas also are at risk for wildfires.

Comanche County emergency management coordinator John Lehman says the fire has burned about 38,000 acres in the sparsely populated county. No injuries have been reported. It wasn’t immediately known how much land had burned in Oklahoma and Kansas’ Barber County.

Lehman says about 65 firetrucks and hundreds of firefighters are helping to gradually contain the blaze.