Medicine Park family recovered after 2011 fires

MEDICINE PARK, Okla_It has been a little over a year since fires tore through Medicine Park threatening many homes and burning thousands of acres. We wanted to go back and check on those who live in Big Rock Estates to see how things look one year later, and find out how things might have changed since the fires.

The Fahrion family has lived in Big Rock Estates for 10 years. They say when the fire first broke out, they were terrified, fearing that their home they had worked so hard to put together would go up in flames. They were one of the luckier families. Their home was still standing after the fire came through, but the siding was charred, and the inside was covered in soot. A year later they say they are happy with the rebuilding progress and glad to still call Medicine Park home.

Muriel Fahrion said she will never forget hearing the dreadful knocking at her door with firefighters telling her to evacuate her home because fires would soon be taking over Medicine Park.

"It was extremely scary. What do you grab if you have to evacuate?"

Ten minutes later, Muriel said they grabbed what they could and ran outside. In that short amount of time, ash had begun falling on their heads. She said that's when it became real.

For the next few days Muriel and her husband kept a close eye on the fire. When they were able to return, they saw their home standing but not the way they had left it.

"The outside we had maybe 2/5 of the house was the cedar siding, all that cedar siding because fire surrounded the house it came from all sides all curled and it was worthless."

Now the once cedar siding wall is hardy board, a molded concrete mix not to mention the inside of the house had to be repainted and completely washed down. Soot covered the inside of the home and trees that once stood lush were now burnt to a crisp.

"It was so much more than I think people even think is going to happen. With a fire they hear on TV their house was saved but meanwhile a month later and $33,000 we were finally back to at least being able to live in our house."

Muriel said no amount of fire damage would keep them out of Medicine Park. She said she's thankful that though the fire tried to take down the house it didn't bring down their determination to get their home back where it once was.

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Medicine Park family recovered after 2011 fires

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