wildfires

Oklahoma has more dry, dormant or dead plants on the ground than normal due to last year's rainfall. The extra fuel is one contributor to increased fire potential in the state through March.

The fire killed three people and more than 15,000 head of cattle and burned over a million acres in the Panhandle in 2024.

According to Politico, federal officials could relocate the agency here and tap Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd to lead it.

Drought conditions across Texas have intensified since earlier this year.

A University of Oklahoma Meteorologist has been appointed to a national panel about how to study and address wildfire smoke.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt's fight with the state Forestry Services continues, as he purged agency leadership and set up a "working group."

As Oklahoma recovers from a massive wildfire outbreak in March, the governor has criticized the state Forestry Services’ response, and even mused about disbanding the division. State officials at the Forestry Services and beyond are pushing back.

Last week, wildfires raged across Oklahoma, claiming thousands of acres of land and hundreds of buildings. KOSU's Sarah Liese reports for StateImpact that the flames also destroyed a historic church in Kiowa County, leaving a congregation to rebuild.

Among the proposals is a bill that would force more inspections of power lines, which a committee concluded ignited a blaze that burned more than 1 million acres last year.

Wildfires have become more frequent, burning bigger areas during longer seasons thanks to conditions exacerbated by climate change. More people in the Great Plains and Midwest are turning to “prescribed” burns, which can help reduce wildfire risk.