COMANCHE CO., Okla. (KSWO) – Officials are releasing the results of a preliminary investigation that was conducted into the case Rush Fire which started around 3pm on Thursday 24th October.

A type of heavy machinery used to manage vegetation to improve firebreak, known as a masticator, is suspected of starting the fire that broke out just east of Rush Lake.

Once the fire broke out, resources from the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge and surrounding departments responded quickly.

By Monday, October 25, numerous agencies from multiple jurisdictions were assisting with the fire.

Due to the quick response, the spread of the fire was limited outside the Refuge.

Several things are credited with limiting the damage that a fire of this type could bring. Firebreaks funded by the bipartisan Infrastructure and Inflation Relief Act is one of them.

While the fire is still burning, officials say the behavior is minimal and more than 200 firefighters are still at the Refuge managing the fire, which is currently 76 percent contained.

So far, 12,488 acres have burned.

The refuge is currently still closed due to smoke impacts as well as to keep the public and firefighters safe.

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