CHOUTEAU, Okla. — After a wet winter and spring helped vegetation grow throughout parts of Green Country prone to drought, lack of more recent rainfall is fueling the risk of wildfires.
Here's a map of current Burn Bans:
As of Oct 16, the northeastern Oklahoma counties of Washington, Mayes, Craig, Delaware, and Ottawa are under burn bans for at least the next 12 days. That means any intentional grass, range, trash, or campfire is considered a misdemeanor.
Okmulgee County, which does not have a burn ban as of Wednesday afternoon, posted this warning to stop all unnecessary burning:
Locust Grove Volunteer Fire Chief Jared Turner didn't want to go on camera but told 2 News grass fire calls are hitting the northern parts of Mayes County hard recently.
John Knifechief lives adjacent to Chouteau Volunteer Fire Department and is a retired member of Pawnee Nation Fire Scouts.
"The grass is so dry and the leaves are falling right now that it'll start a fire," Knifechief told 2 News. "People might go hunting and when they come back and see smoke, it's because their muffler and everything has caught on fire."
- Previous coverage >>> 'A real concern' for wildfires as small fires stress Green Country firefighters
Fire danger warnings are posted across rural areas currently in burn bans, and local volunteer fire departments also take to social media to try and spread the message faster than any fire can.
Knifechief knows firsthand the pressure wildfires put on volunteer departments. He said he's telling his neighbors to do their part.
"Just don't start (intentional) fires or anything," he said. "Don't be cooking outside this time of the year. Because if you do, you never know if it's gonna be your house going up in flames."
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