With dry vegetation, gusty winds, and little recent rainfall, March has become one of the most dangerous months for wildfires across Oklahoma. Last year statewide four lives were lost and locally over a hundred thousand acres were destroyed in Creek and Payne County. In an effort to help prevent such impact this year we spoke with local fire department chiefs because there is never a wrong time to be fire-wise.
Q) What are the most common fire hazards you see and how can people prevent them?
CushingFireChiefDaltonNovotny: In the recent past, several structure fires we have responded to have been caused by overloaded electrical circuits. Many older homes still have outdated electrical wiring that is not designed to handle the electrical demand of modern appliances, such as space heaters. This increased load can overload wiring and circuits without activating circuit breakers, causing the wiring to overheat and potentially ignite a fire.
We have also responded to fires caused by smoking in homes where medical oxygen is in use. This practice is highly discouraged. Oxygen can act as an accelerant when mixed with fire, allowing flames to spread rapidly. Being cautious and aware of these risks can help prevent fires.
North 48 Fire Chief Keith Buntin: So this is a hard one to answer as there are so many fire hazards that we see on every call but here we go.
The most common fire hazard I see in relation to structure fires is the over use of extension cords and overloading them. During winter months we see lots of space heaters plugged in to them and they end up overheating and causing a fire. If people would read the instructions on the space heaters and follow the manufacturer instructions they could prevent a lot of these fires.
The most common fire hazard I see in relation to grassfires/wildfires is when people do a control burn or burn a brush pile and then just leave them when they think they are done in just a few hours. I have seen brush piles still have hot coals up to a week and half after they burn them. To help prevent them if people would call their local fire department and make sure it’s a good day to burn also they need to make sure they have a water source close by and plan to stay with the burn until its complete and have a plan to keep the pile contained until all the coals are out. Which could be as easy as having a piece of equipment available to push the pile back into itself way back in the burned area.
Olive Fire Chief Jason Dobson: Most fires will be accidental. If someone sees smoke they need to call it in. Don’t have chains dragging because it creates sparks. Don’t throw cigarette butts out. If you’re welding make sure you have a lookout and a significant amount of water. When you disregard ashes from a fireplace or grill don’t just dump it and walk away — make sure to put plenty of water on it.
Drumright Fire Chief Brett Lunsford: One of the biggest things people don’t know is that fires can pick back up long after you think they’re out. We ran a grass fire in February that came from a brush pile that was burned back when it snowed. It had been smoldering the whole time. People just need to be extra careful to make sure if they burn then they are putting it out fully and thoroughly dousing it with water. Even afterwards they need to keep an eye out for hotspots that could kick back up.
Q) How has fire response or prevention changed in recent years due to weather, techSneeolFoIRgEy community growth?
Cushing Fire Chief Dalton Novotny: Fire department responses, including ours, have changed over the years and will continue to evolve in the future. Fire departments across the nation have noticed that fires are burning faster and hotter. This is largely due to the increased use of synthetic materials in construction and furnishings within homes.
As a result, occupants have less time to escape during a fire, and fire departmentsareoftenencountering larger, more advanced fires upon arrival.
North 48 Fire Chief Keith Buntin: So fire response has changed a lot in the past few years just due to the weather, in past few years we have been going thru longer drier periods than we have normally seen and they are occurring earlier in the year when the grasses are drier and still dormant. Just this year our call volume for January and February is double of what it was last year.
Oklahoma in general has seen a increase of people moving in from out state, our community is no exception to that. Just in the past year we have seen a large increase in people moving into our fire district from out of the metro areas and from out of state. Most when they move into the area they aren’t use to making sure their property is Firewise and ready for wildfires. Also they don’t realize that most departments are funded thru fire dues or “rural memberships” So we have really been trying to educate people on how to be firewise and also let them know the benefits of paying fire dues.
Another way fire response has changed in recent years is most departments are “doing more with less” as most departments are seeing a dramatic decrease in volunteers, people schedules are pretty full and aren’t able to help as much as they use to. A lot of people don’t realize they can help their communities by just volunteering at their local department.
Olive Fire Chief Jason Dobson: We have had a lot of people moving into rural areas that just don’t know how to safely burn — in those cases if we have to respond then we will educate. We want to work with people to get the information out there. For instance, just because there is snow on the ground doesn’t mean the conditions are right for burning. A lot of people will burn after a snow but within a day the snow is gone and the grounds dried off and the fire danger is still there — roots will burn for several days due to the dry conditions we’ve had. Additionally, the soil is wet so when we try to respond in those conditions it’s likely the trucks will get stuck. I am for prescribed burns because it is so good for the land and for fire control. I am a very big supporter of it as long as it is done right but a lot of times it’s not done right. When there’s not a burn ban we are happy for people to just call and give us an address and let us know they are burning.
Drumright Fire Chief Brett Lundsford: Growth from spring and summer is great but then in winter everything goes dormant and basically becomes tinder. With temperatures rising people start wanting to go out and do things more like cooking out not considering the conditions. I would say right now we are really close to prior years when fires got out of hand easily but it is like that almost every spring or late winter now. I would say we’ve had a milder winter than the last couple years and that might attribute to fires temperature-wise.
Q) What message would you most like the community to remember when it comes to fire prevention and safety?
Cushing Fire Chief Dalton Novotny: The most common cause of fires is human error. I encourage community members to install smoke detectors and eliminate potential fire hazards inside their homes.
For outdoor burning, if you are planning to conduct a prescribed burn or burn brush piles or trash, review the weather forecast at least one week in advance. Pay attention to wind speed, wind direction, and the potential for rainfall. After the burn is completed, continue to monitor the burn site until all smoke and heat have completely dissipated.
North 48 Fire Chief Keith Buntin: Taking a few minutes to think about weather conditions, safety precautions, and having water nearby can prevent a fire that could threaten homes, livestock, and property. Firefighters are always ready to respond, but preventing the fire in the first place is always the best outcome. Always have an escape plan and practice it this is not only for house fires but also have a plan in place wildfires, which way can you make it out, where do you go to stay safe and also how to let people know your safe.
Olive Fire Chief Jason Dobson: Anytime someone burns they should always check the forecast. By Oklahoma law they technically have to submit a permit with he fire department and tell their neighbors even if it is a prescribed burn. I don’t like to say controlled burn because there really isn’t any way of controlling a burn — having it under control maybe but not truly controlled. Even in a burn ban there will be some who will burn no matter what and the need to be ready to face those consequences because they could be held accountable for any damages or loss of life that may occur if they are not taking proper measures to prevent fires.
Drumright Fire Chief Brett Lundsford: All I can say is just be safe. Be safe and don’t burn during a burn ban.