Feb 18
Oklahoma Wildfires Burn 150,000+ Acres; Gary McManus Warns of New Red Flag Danger The wildfire crisis in Oklahoma has reached a critical threshold, with state officials and meteorologists sounding the alarm as the destruction mounts. According to Oklahoma State Climatologist Gary McManus, the toll is staggering: over 150,000 acres have already been consumed, resulting in …
Feb 18
Recent observations from high-impact wildfires in northwestern Oklahoma confirm that fire behavior has met “extreme” thresholds. While a Red Flag Warning remains in place for central Oklahoma today, a Fire Weather Watch has been issued for Thursday, signaling that elevated fire danger is pushing further east into the northeastern and south-central portions of the state. …
Feb 06
he Weekend Watch: Receptive Fuels, Reluctant Winds Friday: The Heating Window Sarah leaned against the brush truck, wiping sweat from her forehead. It didn’t feel like February. The thermometer on the dash read 78°F, well above normal for the season. The sky was a piercing, cloudless blue. “Feels like fire weather,” her rookie, Miller, noted, …
Jan 16
A Red Flag Warning is currently in effect for Western Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Panhandle as a cold front moves across the state. The combination of strong northerly winds, very dry air, and dormant vegetation has created a highly volatile environment for wildfires. State officials warn that any established wildfire today will have the potential …
Nov 25
With the early spring prescribed burn season approaching, land management experts are urging producers and landowners to begin preparing their firebreaks now. Proper firebreak construction is the most critical element in safely managing a prescribed burn, controlling smoke, and preventing fire escape. The central message is clear: Not all firebreaks are the same, and advance …
Mar 25
Recent wildfires have devastated Oklahoma’s agricultural landscape, leaving producers reeling. In a recent interview, with Farm Director KC Sheperd, Oklahoma State University’s Dr. Amy Hagerman offered crucial advice for those affected and outlined available assistance programs. “Yeah, the first thing is always safety when getting back into those areas,” Dr. Hagerman emphasized. “Make sure the …
Oct 30
Oklahoma always provides interesting weather for Oklahoma. In the past we have seen Ice Storms the week of Halloween, and then the next year triple digit temps, so today’s forecast is not too out of the normal. According to State Climatologist Gary McManus a storm system is headed this way, “We’ll have a storm system …
Mar 05
Statewide Discussion: The slow-moving cold front will stall in southeastern Oklahoma holding some rain chances in place in the southeastern and east-central counties. Dry conditions are expected elsewhere across the state. OFS firefighters continue to work alongside fire departments patrolling for hotspots and increasing containment on recent significant fires with moderated fire danger over the …
Aug 14
Physical loss loans through the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) can help producers repair or replace damaged or destroyed physical property essential to the success of the agricultural operation, including livestock losses. Examples of property commonly affected include essential farm buildings, fixtures to real estate, equipment, livestock, perennial crops, fruit …
Apr 11
Statewide Discussion: Storms yesterday evening in parts of western and northcentral Oklahoma, bringing both rain and hail, yielded wetting isolated wetting amounts while outside of individual storm cells amounts of less than 0.10” was realized in the band of storms. Northwestern and Panhandle counties remain very dry with separation from a wetting event ranging from …
