Extremely dry and windy conditions in Oklahoma and Texas fueled dozens of fires, destroying structures and forcing residents from their homes on Friday.
More than 130 wildfires have burned across 44 counties in Oklahoma, the state’s Department of Emergency Management said late Friday.
Among them was a blaze in Stillwater, which destroyed several homes in the city of 50,000. Oklahoma State University, which is in Stillwater, canceled its baseball, softball and tennis matches in response to the fire.
The storm system continued into Saturday with twisters wreaking havoc in places like Poplar Bluff, Missouri. A cold front and low-pressure system are pushing eastward Sunday, driving strong to severe thunderstorms and a continued tornado risk.