Governor Stitt Launches Wildland Fire Response Working Group to Strengthen Statewide Preparedness, Mitigation, and Recovery

In the aftermath of the devastating wildfires that began on March 14, claiming four lives and destroying nearly 600 homes across Oklahoma, Governor Kevin Stitt today announced the formation of a Wildland Fire Response Working Group. The group will develop a comprehensive set of recommendations to enhance Oklahoma's wildfire mitigation, suppression, and recovery capabilities through unified response efforts, interagency coordination, and strategic partnerships.

Three weeks after these devastating fires, Forestry still has not turned over a full picture of the events of that day. They have given inconsistent and at times incorrect information. A map illustrating the coverage of the day can be found HERE.

This map shows a failure by Forestry to triage the fires. They had 49 firefighting personnel fighting fires on 92,593 acres and 47 firefighting personnel fighting fires on 2,320 acres.

"The fires we saw last month were a tragic reminder of how quickly these events escalate, and how essential it is that our response is fast, unified, and backed by every tool available," said Governor Stitt. "This working group will ensure Oklahoma is not just reacting, but leading the way with innovative, proactive wildfire strategies."

Key Objectives of the Working Group:

1). Enhance Interagency Coordination: Evaluate and improve how local, county, tribal, and state agencies - including fire, emergency management, forestry, and law enforcement - collaborate in wildfire response.

2). Advance Wildfire Mitigation Efforts: Identify strategies for large-scale fuel reduction, prescribed burning, defensible space programs, and community risk awareness.

3). Leverage Grant and Federal Funding: Identify and pursue federal and state grant opportunities to enhance equipment, training, prevention, and mitigation capabilities across jurisdictions.

4). Partner with Private Sector and Stakeholders: Collaborate with key private sector organizations and stakeholder groups such as the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, utility providers, and landowner associations to create a whole-of-community approach to fire resilience.

5). Engage Academic and Research Institutions: Leverage the expertise of Oklahoma State University, the state's fire service training land-grant institution, alongside other higher education partners to integrate fire science, data modeling, and public education into Oklahoma's wildfire strategy.

6). Legislative Collaboration: Work in close coordination with the Oklahoma Legislature to explore statutory changes needed to streamline response, clarify agency authority, and invest in long-term solutions.

The Wildland Fire Response Working Group will be co-led by the Secretary of Public Safety Tricia Everest and Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur.

• Additional members will include:
• Oklahoma Fire Service Agencies and Associations
• All Hazards First Responders and Incident Management Personnel
• Local and County Emergency Managers
• Agricultural Policy and Research Professionals from OSU
• Private Sector and Insurance Industry Representatives
• Nonprofits and Community-Based Stakeholders

The Working Group is directed to convene within 30 days and will submit a set of formal recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within six months.