Wildfires a risk in Oklahoma, Emergency Management panel to discuss Published March 12, 2018

Wildfires, or grassland fires as they’re sometimes called, are common to Oklahoma every year. In 2017, the potential damage risk estimated in excess of $48 billion, including over 150,000 homes at risk.

In 2016, Oklahoma had nearly 2,000 wildfires, which burned more than 500 acres each totaling to over 780,000 acres destroyed. This ranked Oklahoma number one nationally for acreage burned, with California and Alaska following behind at a half-million acres damaged.

From 1992-2015, the highest percentage of wildfire danger nationally (15-20) was in eastern Oklahoma and Central Florida.

During the period 2000-2007, Oklahoma averaged over 1400 wildfires per month.

What does all this mean for the Oklahoma home or small business owner? Oklahomans should know how to protect your home and/or business against wildfires, and what steps you should take to mitigate the risk. It also means, you should know about wildfire dynamics, and what to do if evacuation from a wildfire is directed.

The second-part of our eight-part speaker series at Rose State College, co-sponsored with the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management, will present some of this crucial information on March 15^th at 6:30 pm.

Preparation is key, and knowledge is power.

For more information, visit www.rose.edu/emseries