TULSA, Okla. — It took nearly two weeks, but the fire at Gem Dirt is out.
It's a welcome relief for Jenks residents, who dealt with heavy smoke covering their neighborhood for 11 days.
The fire began at the local soil supplier on March 17th. While crews contained outward flames, the mulch pile allowed for heat and fire to build beneath the surface, leaving thick insufferable smoke covering the nearby neighborhoods for a week and a half.
"Now our house is covered in ash on the inside and we have baking soda all over everything to get the smell out, but we just don't have any ability to start the cleaning process until the smoke stops," said Claira White.
She lives in the neighborhood right behind Gem Dirt and voluntarily evacuated because of how bad the smoke got. Pregnant and with a two year old, White didn't think it was safe to be breathing it in day after day.
WATCH: Coverage as crews worked to control the fire:
While they haven't moved back in yet, the Southern Reserve resident said she and her husband are now working on cleaning up to move back home.
Here's a look at the fire as it burned on the 25th and after being put out:
Earlier in the week, Jenks Mayor Cory Box said the State of Emergency was declared so the city manager could cut through red tape, and make spending and contract decisions without getting a council vote.
2 News wanted to know how much was spent to get the fire out. The mayor sent us to the city manager who directed us to the fire chief.
Chief Greg Ostrum said in a statement it took more than 6,000,000 gallons of water to put the fire out completely over the course of their three day effort.
A city spokesperson said the total dollar amount hasn't been tallied, but that existing budgeted funds were used.
As for how long a SOE will stay in effect for Jenks, the city said it terminates within 30 days, if it is clear the reason for the declaration has passed.
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