Wildfires continued to rip through western Oklahoma on Thursday, burning over 300,000 acres of land and leaving behind dozens of destroyed homes.
Flames broke out last week amid historic fire conditions, including dry weather and high winds. At least two people have been killed as a result of the fires, including a 61-year-old man who had been out hunting and a woman, who was found dead in her vehicle.
Exceptional droughts have plagued large parts of the southern plains, Todd Lindley, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma, told HuffPost. Some areas of the state have gone roughly 185 days without a quarter inch of rainfall, he said.
Tens of millions of people in the middle of the country are facing a three-day tornado threat — including places that were ravaged earlier this week by an outbreak of twisters.
A tornado touched down near Throckmorton, Texas, the National Weather Service said, but there were no reports of serious damage. Tornadoes were also seen touching down in Haskell and Wilbarger counties, also in Texas, on Friday, the NWS said.
Thunderstorms, carrying large hail, broke out across the Southern Plains Friday, and a tornado watch was posted for parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado and New Mexico Friday night.
The threat extends through Sunday — Mother’s Day — and includes a busy weekend of commencement ceremonies. The University of Oklahoma already canceled graduation activities scheduled for Friday night due to “dangerous weather conditions.”
The U.S. Supreme Court was set on Wednesday to hear arguments in a case brought by three death row inmates challenging Oklahoma’s method of execution by lethal injection as a violation of the U.S. Constitution’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment.
The three-drug process used by Oklahoma prison officials has been under scrutiny since the April 2014 botched execution of convicted murderer Clayton Lockett. He could be seen twisting on the gurney after death chamber staff failed to place the intravenous line properly.
Richard Glossip, John Grant and Benjamin Cole, the inmates challenging the state’s procedures, argue the sedative used by Oklahoma, midazolam, cannot achieve the level of unconsciousness required for surgery, making it unsuitable for executions.
Oklahoma prosecutors are reviewing the shooting of an unarmed black man by a sheriff’s deputy who says he was unintentionally struck with a gun instead of Tasered during the fatal takedown.
Video released Friday shows the dramatic April 2 arrest of Tulsa man Eric Harris, 44, and the moment Reserve Deputy Robert Bates, 73, shoots him.
“Taser! Taser!” Bates is heard shouting, before firing a single round from his regular gun, hitting Harris, who was pinned to the ground by officers.
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Eric Harris Fatally Shot by Deputy
James' World 2 