Even though no official burn bans have been issued yet in Lincoln and Pottawatomie Counties, people are being urged to be cautious if considering control burns.
Paul Simpson is Rural Fire Coordinator for Region 5, the Central Oklahoma Economic Development District. That area includes Lincoln, Pottawatomie, Seminole, Hughes, Okfuskee, Payne and Pawnee counties.
Simpson said in addition to those seven counties, he also serves as Rural Fire Coordinator for Oklahoma and Cleveland Counties.
“Oklahoma County went to a burn ban last Wednesday (Jan. 19),” Simpson said.
He explained, “right now Pottawatomie and Lincoln County are considered in moderate drought conditions. Some guys (firefighters) have discussed a burn ban in the future, but not right now,” Simpson added.
He emphasized, “People should take extra, additional precautions when considering a control burn. Conditions are getting worse all the time,” Simpson believes.
Simpson predicted, “It’s not as severe as it’s going to get.” He indicated conditions this month are being likened to January of 2006 when there was a major outbreak of wildfires in area counties and across the state.
“Conditions are bordering on the severe side, but right now they are still moderate. If someone goes out and burns trash or does a control burn that gets out of control, we’re going to have problems,” Simpson thinks.
“We can’t do much about winds that cause high line wires to arc and start a fire. But with winds 20 to 30 miles per hour like we’ve experienced recently that is not the time to burn,” he said.
“Conditions are getting worse all the time,” he reiterated. Simpson indicated there is a lot of dormant grass out there that serves as fuel for a fire because of the dry conditions and the fact that it’s winter time.
“Relative humidity is very low right now,” he said.
“Don’t conduct any burn with the wind over 15 miles per hour.”
Simpson said fire departments in both Pottawatomie County and Lincoln County haven’t indicated a burn ban is needed yet.
He did point out that Sparks fire fighters had extinguished a grass fire of about 50 acres recently and the Chandler Fire Department worked a couple as well. He said there was a house fire Jan. 19 in Prague.