OKLAHOMA CITY — Governor Mary Fallin today issued a two-week burn ban for much of the state because of extreme weather conditions and extraordinary fire danger.
The governor’s burn ban supersedes all county burn bans currently in place. It expires Feb. 24.
The ban covers 53 counties: Adair, Atoka, Canadian, Carter, Cherokee, Choctaw, Cleveland, Coal, Craig, Creek, Delaware, Garfield, Garvin, Grady, Grant, Haskell, Hughes, Jefferson, Johnston, Kay, Kingfisher, Latimer, Le Flore, Lincoln, Logan, Love, McClain, McCurtain, McIntosh, Marshall, Mayes, Murray, Muskogee, Noble, Nowata, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Payne, Pittsburg, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Pushmataha, Rogers, Seminole, Sequoyah, Stephens, Tulsa, Wagoner and Washington.
“Critical fire weather and worsening drought have created conditions very conducive to wildfires,” said Fallin. “A burn ban is now necessary to reduce the risk of preventable wildfires and to protect lives and property.”
Oklahoma Forestry Services, a division of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, recommended the ban based upon an analysis of fire activity, wildland fuel conditions and the predicted continued drought as criteria for recommending the ban.
The governor urged people to be extremely vigilant because conditions are ripe to spark a large fire.
“Citizen actions can certainly play an integral role in minimizing fires,” Fallin said. “We are asking everyone do their part to help prevent fires and to keep our families and businesses safe from harm.”
“Oklahoma Forestry Services’ wildland fire crews and fire departments across the state have experienced extreme wildfire behavior in recent days, resulting in fires that are both difficult to contain and pose an increased risk to firefighters on the ground,” said George Geissler, Oklahoma state forester. “We are expecting conditions to continue to deteriorate with only minimal chances for drought-breaking rainfall in the future.”
Unlawful activities under the ban include campfires, bonfires, and setting fire to any forest, grass, woods, wildlands or marshes, as well as igniting fireworks, burning trash or other materials outdoors.
As part of the governor’s burn ban, there are exemptions for a number of items, such as welding and road construction. For more specific information and details, visit www.forestry.ok.gov/burn-ban-information or call Michelle Finch-Walker with the Oklahoma Forestry Services at (580) 236-1021.
—The Office of Governor Mary Fallin
For more articles out of Oklahoma, click here.
RECOMMENDED ARTICLES
SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. — Compeer Financial’s Fund for Rural America, the Farm Credit cooperative’s giving program, has awarded 177 grants as part of their Emergency Response Equipment Program, including 15 new collaboration grants for equipment shared by multiple departments. Emergency Response Equipment Grants help to offset the cost of equipment that community emergency response departments need […]
BOSTON — Following recommendations made by the Massachusetts Drought Management Task Force, Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Beth Card today declared that except for the Southeast Region that saw improvement at the regional scale, all other regions within the Commonwealth will remain at their current drought levels. This includes the Cape Cod, Connecticut River […]
BOSTON — With the risk of wildland fires increasing due to below average precipitation across the state, Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Beth Card today declared that the Cape Cod Region will join the Connecticut River Valley, Southeast, Northeast, and Central Regions as a Level 3-Critical Drought. Additionally, the Islands and Western Regions will […]
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Wildfires fueled by dry, windy conditions have destroyed dozens of homes in Texas and threatened hundreds of others there and in Oklahoma and Florida this March. They’re a sharp reminder to be prepared for what forecasters warn is likely to be a risky spring for wildfires, particularly in the southern Plains and Southwest. I’m a fire ecologist and director of the Southern […]
SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. — Compeer Financial’s Fund for Rural America, the Farm Credit cooperative’s giving program, has awarded 155 grants as part of their Emergency Response Equipment Program, totaling $450,391. Emergency Response Equipment Grants help to offset the cost of equipment that community emergency response departments need to carry out their important work throughout rural […]
