Fire officials in Logan County, Oklahoma and the surrounding area are scrambling for safety after a controlled burn that was intentionally ignited on Sunday by authorities exploded in size from a few hundred acres late in the afternoon up to approximately 4,000 acres within just a few short hours.

At least eight agencies, including fire departments in Oklahoma City, Guthrie and Edmund, as well as the Logan County Sheriff's Office and others, have joined forces to collaborate as they try to gain control of this inferno.

The fire is ravaging the town of Guthrie, where roads have been closed down and mandatory evacuations have been put in place after a reported 20 structures -- including many occupied homes -- were destroyed.

According to a report from Oklahoma 9 News, on Sunday night authorities said that the fire had claimed its first human life. A 56-year-old man, whose identity has not yet been released, is alleged to have refused to leave his home after being ordered to evacuate. Unfortunately, the man became the fire's first official fatality.

Officials don't yet have any verifiable information regarding containment of the fire. CNN reports that in terms of size, Chief Deputy Richard Stephens of the Logan County Sheriff's Office approximates that at 9:15 p.m. on Sunday the fire measured about four miles long and up to a mile wide.

"It's growing so fast it's pretty hard to estimate," Stephens said. "There are a lot of cedar trees [in the area], they have a lot of oil in them and they just explode."

This fire is just one of many that have spread throughout the state of Oklahoma recently. Temperatures in the high 90s, strong winds, dry grasses, extremely flammable trees and other such variables are among the culprits responsible for fueling such destructive blazes, a spokesperson for the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management told reporters.

"They got three ingredients for a bad fire: high temperatures, high winds, and low humidity," Daryl Williams of the National Weather Service agreed.

As evacuees flee the Guthrie area, authorities are urging the public to avoid roads and routes that have been designated to be potentially hazardous.

The Guthrie Fire Department has asked drivers to avoid all rural roads east of I-35 near the town as they work to focus on firefighting efforts. Additionally, eastbound and westbound lanes of U.S. 412 are closed from Mooreland in Woodward County east to the junction of U.S. 412 and U.S. 281 in Major County.

"West and south boundaries of this fire are under control, but still burning in areas," said Guthrie Fire Chief Eric Harlow. "The northern boundary of the fire is of most concern right now between Prairie Grove and Industrial."

"Danger area throughout [Sunday] evening is Midwest Blvd. to Westminister Road south of Highway 105."

According to a report from News Channel 4 Oklahoma City, a control command center has been established at 200 E. Seward Road in Guthrie for those that are affected by the fire, including residents and authorities. The Oklahoma Red Cross is also operating out of the center, making free aid available to anyone in need.

Several shelters have also opened up as a result of the the evacuation orders, in a bid to give the evacuees and anyone else displaced by the fire somewhere safe to stay.

The First Assembly of God church has opened its doors to residents who require shelter and water. It is located at 1900 S. Division Street in Guthrie. The Oklahoma Red Cross is operating its own shelter inside the Community Church, which is located at 512 E. Seward Road in Guthrie.

Also, Roma's Italian eatery is providing free food and drinks to those in need. The owners are urging local residents to come and pay them a visit as they anxiously await the opportunity to offer any assistance possible. You can find the restaurant at 1202 S. Division Street in Guthrie.

Please check back with us for updates in the coming days as we keep tabs on the fire in an effort to keep readers informed of any new information as soon as it becomes available.

For the latest news & updates, follow reporter Bary Alyssa Johnson on Twitter: @MissBary