TULSA COUNTY, Okla. — Oklahomans across the state are helping to limit the spread of dangerous wildfires in light of more than a million acres burning in Texas and western Oklahoma.
"I know that at least a couple of those fires (in our county) were started due to intentional burning of either brush files or trash files, or something like that, and it just got away from them," Washington County Emergency Management Agency Director Kary Cox said.
Cox said the fires crews dealt with earlier in the week were sparked by people and made worse by the dry and windy weather.
Rock Volunteer Fire Department in Osage County reported at least ten grass fires in less than a week from the same causes.
"People burning leaves, people trying to burn brush, doing that kind of stuff and doing those spring cleanups and they don't realize how dry it is and then you throw the wind in on top of it and it's creating havoc," RVFD Chief Charley Pearson told 2 News.
Other fire departments like Berryhill's consider themselves lucky not to be called out to grass fires so far, but there have been preventable close calls with residents burning trash or brushes on their property.
"(I'm told), 'I've been in Berryhill for 40, 50 years. My dad did it, so I'm going to do it,.'And that's not how it works," Berryhill FD Captain Kirk Flemings said Sunday.
Capt. Flemings said authorities like Tulsa County Health Department post burn guidelines and suggest easy habits that can protect communities.
One example is that folks who want to use burn barrels for their trash, he said, is poking holes near the bottom and using it on a protected surface like asphalt.
"What you can do is put a grate over on top of it and keep anything that could fly out in the actual burn barrel," Flemings said.
The same applies to other activities like grilling.
"If you're gonna engage in burning activities, you gotta be out there watching it or somebody needs to be out there watching it, and you need to have a water source close by," he said.
Oklahoma State Forester Mark Goeller said if conditions continue, further action will be needed.
"The earliest thing that we'll see will be the county burn bans in certain parts of the state that have been most affected by the dry, windy weather," Goeller said.
Governor Kevin Stitt released this statement about the wildfires affecting western Oklahoma.
“I am watching the wildfire activity in western Oklahoma closely and working with the Department of Emergency Management and Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry to ensure the right resources are being deployed for those impacted,” said Gov. Stitt. “As emergency crews continue to fight the fires and we survey the damage, I encourage Oklahomans to do what we do best - help out our neighbors. As you do, follow instructions from your local authorities and stay safe.”
Earlier this week, 2 News met with another fire department to talk about the stress these wildfires put on communities.
In Mayes County, investigators are searching for a believed arsonist who set nearly 10 fires near Locust Grove and Murphy near 437 road.
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