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40 dead as storms to the east; Fire risk remains in part of us

The number of fatalities in Oklahoma stormy forest fires and winds rose to a total of four of one registered yesterday.

Deaths increase the nationwide number of deaths in connection with the storm on weekends to 40. Yesterday, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt said that one person had died in the middle of the fires and the strong winds of the state.

The four deaths were associated with fire or strong wind, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management said, citing the office of the state medical examiner. They were reported in the counties Lincoln, Garfield, Haskell and Pawnee, today emergency management officers said in a statement.

Among the victims, the NBC subsidiary KFOR from OKLAHOMA City was a man who tried to defend family ownership in Chandler on Friday evening.

The man died in a hospital yesterday. His son, who was supposedly next to him, was burned and remained in the hospital, said KFor. The family was part of the state's wrestling community, said the station.

The Chief Medical Examiner office did not answer yesterday to an inquiry to get more information about the couple.

According to state emergency management officers, 142 people were injured by the storm, including forest fires and strong winds, including seven, which were burned and 16 were hit by objects.

Stitt declared a state of emergency for 12 counties. Emergency management officers said today that 13 counties for fire reaction and preparatory grants from the federal administration were approved by the emergency management authority.