TULSA, Okla. — The rain is a welcome relief and cuts down on the risk for fires, but with more heat and dry days in the forecast more than two dozen counties across the sate are implementing burn bans to minimize risk.
Nine of those counties are in our region.
While the rain has given us temporary relief from the heat. Experts said the extreme temperatures still pose a significant threat for fire risk.
“While a few folks may be lucky, the evaporation rates with this kind of heat and winds and sun conditions, will generally wipe away anything you may have picked up from a thunderstorm," Steve Piltz with the National Weather Service said.
Crews have just put out a four day fire in Blaine County that burned thousands of acres.
People with Tulsa Area Emergency Management Agency said the drought conditions, winds, lack of rain, and number of fires play a role int he placement of burn bans.
“What we’re doing at this time is we’re recommending and asking the residents of the area to hold off on burning until conditions improve,” Joe Kralicek, executive director with Tulsa Area Emergency Management Agency said.
While Tulsa County isn't in a burn ban, many surrounding counties are. Whether burns are banned or discouraged, emergency management counts on the community's help to reduce the risk of fires, which people with TAEMA said helps minimize the heat exposure of fire crews that respond to them in these extreme temperatures.
“As hot as everything is, as dry as everything is, those fires can get away from you very quickly, and then additionally we have the concern with our first response community of having our firefighters out in their gear in this heat," Kralicek said.
Here's how they say you can do your part, although an official burn ban has not been implemented, don't burn until conditions improve and they say it is safe to do so.
You can find a link to a map of active burn bans by clicking here.
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