State Forestry officials are warning the drought is returning to Oklahoma and wildfire dangers are growing.
The Department issued a warning this week and asked residents to use caution as record high temperatures and lack of rain created the potential for increased wildfire danger in the state.
While the entire state is drying out, southern Oklahoma is already seeing increased fire activity according to an announcement by the Forestry Services.
“We experienced a big increase in fires in southeastern Oklahoma over the weekend, with 19 fires burning 743 acres compared to 23 fires in the entire month of June,” said Aranda Chamberlain, who in her role as forestry fire control officer, dispatches fire information to firefighters from Oklahoma Forestry Services’ Broken Bow office. “We really want to encourage everyone to be aware of how dry it is and to be smart with anything that can cause a spark.”
Campers are being asked to be especially cautious and make sure campfires are completed out.
“We know that our increased ability to predict fire weather, combined with Oklahomans heeding the warnings, has a positive impact on preventing wildfires,” said Oklahoma Forestry Services Director and State Forester Mark Goeller. “So we ask everyone to please use caution and help us spread the word to others.”
As the state’s lead agency for wildland fire prevention, Oklahoma Forestry Services monitors fire weather conditions every day, including frequent discussions with National Weather Services and assessing drought, soil conditions and fuel conditions. Additionally, fire officials post a Daily Fire Situation report on the OFS website at www.forestry.ok.gov/wildfire-information as fire weather conditions warrant. For burn ban can be found at http://www.forestry.ok.gov/burn-ban-info.
Oklahoma Forestry Services, a division of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, is committed to conserving, enhancing and protecting Oklahoma’s 12.5 million acres of forests and woodlands. Since 1925, Oklahoma Forestry Services has worked with individuals and communities throughout the state to create resilient landscapes, fire-adaptive communities and provide wildfire response. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the division also has regional offices in Goldsby, Broken Bow, Wilburton and Tahlequah.
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