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Jenks City Council declares emergency after Gem Dirt wildfire; chief reports progress in containment
Summary
The City of Jenks declared a local emergency after the Gem Dirt wildfire; the declaration waives competitive bidding and authorizes the city manager to execute emergency contracts. Fire Chief Ostrom described multi-day firefighting efforts and new resources that increased extinguishment to about 10–15 percent after a concerted attack.
The Jenks City Council on March 25 unanimously adopted an emergency disaster declaration related to the Gem Dirt fire, authorizing the city manager to enter emergency contracts, accept outside aid and waive competitive bidding as allowed by law.
Mayor Corey (Corey/Tory) Box read the emergency declaration into the record, saying the city and its fire protection area had "experienced a disaster in the form of fires" and that immediate action was required to protect public health and safety. The resolution cites Oklahoma law and the Public Competitive Bidding Act to allow the city manager to act quickly and to accept equipment and aid from other jurisdictions and the state.
Fire Chief Ostrom briefed the council on operations. He said the initial dispatch for the fire came March 17 and…
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