OKLAHOMA CITY — Governor Kevin Stitt’s newly created wildfire response task force released its preliminary report.
In March, Stitt fired the state forester, accused him of doing a bad job and fired two additional Oklahoma Forestry Services (OFS) employees for talking to the media about it.
The deadly wildfires burned hundreds of homes, including one of Stitt’s properties near Luther.
The findings from the “working group” have been highly anticipated because many in the industry have criticized Stitt for the firings and his comments that the response was a failure.
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Olive Fire Chief Jason Dobson said the investigation should not be headed by Stitt’s appointed Secretary of Public Safety and Secretary of Agriculture.
“It’s his handpicked people, they’re going to tell him exactly what he wants to hear, and if they don’t, he could fire them,” said Dobson.
Governor Stitt told 2 News that they would not release the names of the individuals in the group, only the 16 organizations they represent. The organizations range from OFS and emergency management to the Office of Faith-Based Initiatives and “local fire chiefs.”
Read the one-page report here.
“It lists Tulsa Fire and Oklahoma City fire, why doesn’t it list other fire departments being represented? ‘Local fire chiefs’ is very vague,” said Dobson.
Dobson and multiple off-camera sources tell 2 News nearly all “areas of concern” listed are already well-known, being addressed, or asked for –and denied—funding.
Needed improvements include more training, improved statewide mitigation, increased coordination, and changing county burn ban requirements. Dobson said with county burn bans, the biggest issue is a lack of enforcement.
“In our county, we have had county burn bans and we have notified our sheriff’s office and they won’t write a citation for it,” he said.
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Dobson agrees that recruiting volunteer firefighters needs more support.
2 News asked the governor’s office if he, or a representative from the group, were available to talk. We also emailed the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture. We did not hear back from either on that request.
2 News has filed more than one open records request in an effort to get more information about the task force. We asked for the meeting dates and times, the agenda, the meeting minutes, and handouts. We were told the governor’s office does not possess any documentation like that.
A spokesperson said they might release the names of the individuals in the task force eventually, but not right now.
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