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STILLWATER, Okla – (Velo) Wildfires erupted in Oklahoma Friday amid high winds, threatening the The Mid South, one of gravel racing’s marquee races, on the eve of the event.
Multiple spot fires have started in the Stillwater area, including close to the course itself. The start-finish area is currently impacted by smoke.
Organizers posted the following update on the site late Friday afternoon local time:
Update : Stillwater emergency services has issued a shelter in place for Stillwater. The finish line is closed. Our crews are collecting runners from the course. There are active fires in the area with dangerously high winds continuing throughout the afternoon into the evening.
Organizers were forced to end Friday’s accompanying 50k run event early after authorities released a shelter in place due to the wildfire conditions.
Currently, the race is still slated to go on but registration at the venue has been halted. That could change depending on how fires near the race course develop.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a fire warning Friday afternoon at 4:08 p.m. central time.
The warning states that “two very dangerous wildfire were located in western Payne County… 5 miles southwest of Stillwater, and 4 miles east of Orlando…moving rapidly northeast at 3 to 5 mph.”
The warning also stated to “Be prepared to evacuate quickly if requested and follow all safety instructions from local emergency management officials.”
The Stillwater area has been under a high wind warning since early this morning that is in place until 10 p.m. local time.
The Mid South has grown over the last decade into one of the largest events in the gravel calendar, now attracting around 4,000 cyclists, pros and enthusiasts alike. The race is known for its red dirt roads and rolling terrain across central Oklahoma. The red dirt has contributed to highly variable race conditions year over year — from dry and fast to wet with thick, peanut-butter consistency mud.
This year’s course is 106 miles, mostly on dirt roads, with about 8,000 feet of elevation gain.
Event organizers are sharing updates via The Mid South website and Instagram account.
Organizers are expected to provide updates at 6 p.m. central time.
This is a developing story.
