Mount Scott Area Closes Monday Due To A Small Wildfire In Refuge

The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge has closed portions of the refuge due to a small wildfire. Starting at 11 a.m. Monday, August 10, the refuge closed areas around Mount Scott, including the Mount Scott Roadway, Mount Scott Service Road, Mount Scott Picnic Area and the Parallel Forest.

The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge remains open despite closures around Mount Scott.

As of 1:20 p.m. Monday, the areas around Mount Scott remain closed, however, main roadways through the refuge remain open. Visitors are asked to obey all current and future closures, if enacted.

READ MORE: Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge Limits Hiking Hours Due To Heat

The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge was impacted by a wildfire burning on Fort Sill's West Range.

On Saturday, August 8, the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge was impacted by a wildfire that ignited on the West Range of Fort Sill. The refuge posted to its official Facebook page Saturday that the Visitor Center would close at 2:30 p.m. due to smoke from the fire on Fort Sill.

By 8 p.m. the refuge announced that there would road closures along HWY 115 from Cache Gate to the Visitors Center and further east due to public safety as firefighters began backburning areas to keep the wildfire spreading from Fort Sill into the refuge. By Sunday morning, the refuge was still impacted by smoke but no road closures were enforced.

At the time of publication, it's unclear as to whether or not the small wildfire on Monday near Mount Scott was a direct correlation to the weekend wildfire on Fort Sill.