TULSA, Okla. –
This follows the resignation of the State Forester, Mark Goeller, and the firing of two additional forestry department officials earlier this week.
Governor Stitt emphasized the need for stronger coordination and more efficient use of state resources.
“I will hold people accountable if they’re not doing their job, helping our rural firefighters and suppressing fires in Oklahoma,” Stitt stated, underscoring his commitment to improving the state’s approach to managing wildfires.
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Working Group Details
The newly formed working group will be led by the State Public Safety and Agriculture secretaries. It will also include first responders, emergency management directors, and insurance representatives.
According to the Governor, the group’s mission is to examine how Oklahoma can improve collaboration, optimize the use of state funding, and streamline state laws to better address wildfire management.
The group is expected to meet within the next 30 days and will submit its recommendations within six months.
Governor’s Criticism of the Forestry Department
This move comes after Governor Stitt expressed dissatisfaction with the way the state’s forestry department handled last month’s wildfire outbreak, which devastated parts of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Emergency Management reported that four people died, and over 500 homes and businesses were damaged across seven counties.
The Governor criticized the forestry service for its decision to keep a large portion of the firefighting staff focused on smaller fires in Southeastern Oklahoma instead of deploying resources to more populated areas.
“Think about it. Half the resources weren’t deployed to Guthrie, and Mannford and Stillwater and Norman and Oklahoma City. That’s unacceptable to me,” Governor Stitt said.
STITT’S DEFENSE: Forestry Firing: Gov. Stitt defends decision to fire chief after wildfires
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Governor’s Response to Forestry Department Challenges
In the wake of the leadership shakeup, Governor Stitt had previously proposed eliminating the State Forestry Department entirely, but he has since rolled back this plan.
