News Release

Veterans Lake Fire update for March 22, 2022

Date: March 22, 2022
Contact: Megan Wilkins, 5806188302
Contact: Dan Winings, 5806182601

Sulphur, Okla.– The Veterans Lake Fire started as a controlled burn (brush pile) on private land on Saturday evening, March 19, 2022. It escaped containment at approximately 6:30pm on Sunday, March 20, 2022 and spread quickly into Chickasaw National Recreation Area. Incident Commander is Josh Williams of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, based out of Shawnee, OK. Assistant Incident Commander is Jason McDaniel of the National Park Service, based out of Lake Meredith National Recreation Area in Texas.

The fire is smaller than originally reported, with an estimated size of about 1000 acres as of early Tuesday, March 22, 2022. Approximately 250 acres are burning in the recreation area. The fire is approximately 10% contained, mostly on the northern edge. Fire crews from the National Park Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs will work today to secure the fire perimeter extending down the western and eastern flanks of the fire. Containment is expected to be complete by early next week. 

Closures remain in effect for Veterans Lake, Veterans Lake Trail, Cats Eye Road, the Multi-Use Trail system, and the Inkana Trail. Other previously closed areas have reopened. 

National Park Service staff would like to thank those who also responded to the fire, including Sulphur Fire Department, Davis Fire Department, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Joy Volunteer Fire Department, Oak Grove Volunteer Fire Department, Rock Prairie Volunteer Fire Department, Sulphur Police Department, Murray County Emergency Management, Davis Emergency Management, and the Murray County Sheriffs Office. 

For more information about Chickasaw National Recreation Area, visit www.nps.gov/chic or call the Travertine Nature Center at [phone].

About the National Park Service  

More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 424 National Parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.