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Emergency management director warns of rising fire activity, seeks support for temporary restriction
Summary
David Barnes, Oklahoma County's emergency management director, briefed commissioners on increased fire incidents, recent mutual-aid deployments, forecasted extreme heat and operational challenges in field response, urging a 14-day burn ban to reduce wildfire risk.
Emergency Management Director David Barnes told commissioners that recent fire activity has been increasing and described operational strains that prompted a request for temporary restrictions.
"We've had significant fire incidents at least for the last week. The last 2 or 3 days have been cranking up very much," Barnes said, adding that the county had responded with mutual aid to Lincoln and Logan counties. He warned that forecasted temperatures and heat indices over 100 degrees would maintain a high risk of additional fires.
Barnes also noted that recent rainfall had impeded field operations, leaving brush pumpers stuck in the field during some responses. He framed the proposed 14-day burn ban as a prudent, short-term measure to reduce human-caused ignitions while conditions remain volatile.
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