Dangerous wildfires and straightline winds starting March 14, resulted in the deaths of four people in the state, 200 injured and damage to more than 400 homes, many of them and other structures totally destroyed. It’s estimated that about 179,000 acres had burned as of Tuesday morning. Fatalities occurred in Garfield, Haskell, Lincoln and Pawnee counties and several fires are still burning.

The 840 Road Fire in Roger Mills and Dewey counties is being reported as 40% contained as is the Camargo Fire. The ECHO-COA fire burned 98 acres in Blaine County. All of our district as well as most of western Oklahoma remained under a red flag warning Tuesday with a critical- to extreme-fire danger as gusty winds continued to blow. A long-range forecast shows either elevated or near-critical risks of wildfires every day until at least next week. This was a heartbreaking situation. I mourn with those who lost loved ones and property. Many lost everything but the clothes on their back. Many more were in fear as they were ordered to evacuate as fire encroached. We’re strong in Oklahoma, and of course we will recover, and we will help each other as we always do when faced with death and destruction. But it never gets easier to bear losses such as this. I’m thankful for our fire fighters and other first responders as well as the volunteers who are helping to battle these blazes at significant danger to themselves.

For those who need immediate or long-term assistance, please check with the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management. They’ve got updates and resources listed. The Oklahoma Insurance Department also is offering assistance. The governor has declared an emergency for 12 counties in the state, including Dewey County. The attorney general has put the Emergency Price Stabilization Act in effect to avoid price gouging. As with any disaster, please be on the lookout for fraudulent contractors who seek to take advantage of circumstances such as this, and report any you find to the AG’s Consumer Protection Hotline: (833) 681-1895.

In the wake of such loss, there is hope that our state may finally take action to eliminate our biggest wildfire threat. I was able pass legislation through the House last week that would help eradicate red cedars and other invasive species throughout the state that provide much of the fuel for fires such as these. House Bill 2162 would expand the Terry Peach Watershed Restoration Act, removing the pilot status of this program and taking it statewide. The bill would create a revolving fund to be administered by the Oklahoma Conservation Commission with an initial outlay of $10 million.

The initial program proved very successful, and I know this expansion could save our state some of the devastation we’ve experienced. I’m hopeful our Senate partners will agree and get this legislation through their chamber with urgency so it can be signed into law.

We also need to pursue better funding for our rural firefighters and provide better equipment than the decades-old military surplus vehicles they are using, which are getting harder to keep on the road due to obsolete parts and equipment. Volunteer firefighters could be better supported through personal state income tax credits, along with their employers who allow them to answer the call when needed in their communities. This is something for which I’ll be advocating.

Please remember, if I can help you with something, do not hesitate to reach out. You also can follow regular updates on my House Facebook page or call or email anytime at (405) 557-7407 or Mike.Dobrinski@okhouse. gov.

Dobrinski serves District 59 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes Dewey and parts of Blaine, Garfield, Kingfisher and Woodward counties.