By JOHN M. WYLIE II, Publisher
Rogers County is included in a burn ban covering 53 Oklahoma Counties, and those responsible for implementing the ban to prevent potentially devastating wildfires are serious about enforcing it.
At least one county fire department today has already called the Rogers County Sheriff’s Department about arresting a violator who, initial reports indicated, objected to enforcing the ban by putting out a grass and weed burn-off.
The ban prohibits outdoor burning except under the most limited circumstances and is in effect until Feb. 24. Gov. Mary Fallin issued the executive order implementing the ban late Friday evening.
Governor Mary Fallin today issued a two-week burn ban for much of the state because of extreme weather conditions and extraordinary fire danger.
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 .
LPG and natural gas grills and charcoal-fired cooking outside in a grilling receptacle are permitted, provided that the activity is conducted over a non-flammable surface and at least five feet from flammable vegetation. Coleman-type pressurized stoves are exempt. However, any fire resulting from grilling or the use of one of these cookers or stoves is still an illegal fire.
“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 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.
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.”