Several Tulsa residents complained of a strong smoke smell this morning, reported KJRH. The Tulsa Fire Department even said that there were tons of calls due to the smell.
No worries though, there isn't actually a wildfire nearby anywhere in Green Country.
So what's causing the smell?
The smoke smell is due to high winds blowing in from the panhandle, Kansas, and Colorado. Those areas have several wildfires currently taking place, producing a lot of smoke.
As of Wednesday, thousands of acres were still burning all across Oklahoma's panhandle, reported KOCO. According to the National Weather Service, the large fire is being called the "Cobb Fire." The most recent updates from the Forestry Service say that the fire has spread across 10,000 acres. The emergency manager in Guymon says that the fire is over 10 miles long, and in some areas more than a mile wide. So far one structure has been lost in the fire.
Is smelling the smoke unhealthy for your body?
The smell is actually creating some unhealthy air quality in northeastern Oklahoma. It's especially unhealthy in the Tulsa metro area. Anyone impacted by today's air quality should limit their time outside to reduce the risk of complications.