More Oklahoma forestry services jobs on the chopping block
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Governor Kevin Stitt is doubling down on his criticism of the state's forest service and launching an investigation into the agency.
News 4 has confirmed from sources that more employees' jobs are on the chopping block.
We learned on Tuesday that the public information officer for Oklahoma Forestry Services, Keith Merckx, was fired.
The state forester was fired weeks ago, as well.
Source: Numerous high-level state forestry officials placed on leave amid Stitt crackdown on agency
'You don't throw out the whole kit and caboodle just because you're mad at somebody,' said Scott Blubaugh, president of American Farmers and Ranchers Cooperative.
Governor Stitt has said he wasn't happy with the agency's response during the March 14 wildfire outbreak.
'Why do I even have a Department of Forestry? Let's get rid of the whole thing,' said Governor Stitt.
The Governor's Office says an initial investigation reveals that Forestry didn't deploy all of its resources:
51 out of 96 firefighters
12 out of 34 engines
16 out of 37 dozers
They also released a new map that clarifies where resources were stationed.
WildfirePreposition_0314_arch_d_land_20250408_1134_OK-OKS_Fire_Support_OKOKS250001Download
The Southern Group of State Foresters has worked with Goeller for several years and says his team requested additional help ahead of the fires.
Lincoln County fire chiefs demand clarity about former forestry director's firing
'We saw the activation of the South Central Forest Fire Compact, which is administered through our organization, and this allowed Oklahoma to bring in support from neighboring states,' said Chelsea Ealum, communications with the Southern Group of State Foresters.
Governor Stitt also claims getting rid of the department would save taxpayers $75 million.
'Just moving some money around to the local, you're still going to have some big gaps out there in the state, and you're not going to be able to fight these fires as efficiently as we can have in the forestry service,' said Blubaugh.
The American Farmers and Ranchers Cooperative says that beyond wildfires, the forestry department is essential.
'In southeast Oklahoma, the timber industry is huge, forestry industry is huge, and it contributes about 19,000 jobs here in Oklahoma,' said Blubaugh.
Blubaugh says insurance rates could also go up without the department.
The Governor's Office also announced the formation of a Wildland Fire Response Working Group.
The group will develop a comprehensive set of recommendations to enhance Oklahoma's wildfire mitigation, suppression, and recovery capabilities through unified response efforts, interagency coordination, and strategic partnerships.
It will be co-led by the Secretary of Public Safety, Tricia Everest, and the Secretary of Agriculture, Blayne Arthur.
Additional members will include:
Oklahoma Fire Service Agencies and Associations
All Hazards First Responders and Incident Management Personnel
Local and County Emergency Managers
Agricultural Policy and Research Professionals from OSU
Private Sector and Insurance Industry Representatives
Nonprofits and Community-Based Stakeholders
The Working Group is directed to convene within 30 days and will submit a set of formal recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within six months.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Expel all for the misdeeds of a few? That's not the 'Oklahoma Standard'
Just a few years ago, in the fall of 2021, we began welcoming the arrival of what would amount to about 1,800 Afghan refugees into our community. They came at a time when our country was withdrawing its military forces from Afghanistan, allowing the Taliban and its brutal, hardline regime to retake control of that war-ravaged land. Some of the refugees had worked for U.S. and alliance forces and various non-governmental organizations, charities and media outlets operating in the country. They rightly feared Taliban retribution. Gov. Kevin Stitt, working with a Christian organization, Catholic Charities, welcomed the refugees to Oklahoma, as did the state's two Republican senators at the time, James Lankford and Jim Inhofe, and Republican Reps. Frank Lucas, Stephanie Bice and Tom Cole. Support for the Afghans was seen as a concrete example of the "Oklahoma Standard," forged in the aftermath of the tragic Oklahoma City bombing 30 years ago this past April. Maintaining that standard, often expressed as "people helping people," over the past three decades since the bombing has been a source of pride for Oklahomans regardless of their political affiliation, race or ethnic background. There was an earlier and more relevant example, as well, when Oklahoma welcomed thousands of refugees from Vietnam after the fall of Saigon 50 years ago. The thousands of immigrants we accepted then reshaped Oklahoma City in ways that forever changed the city for good. So, what are we to make of our attorney general, Gentner Drummond, who now is saying all Afghan refugees in this country should be expelled? In his public announcement, Drummond said he was following the lead of President Donald Trump in issuing "a proclamation effectively banning Afghan nationals from entering the United States." "I am demanding that Gov. Stitt reject the approval he gave to the Biden Administration so all Afghan refugees can be removed from Oklahoma," said Drummond, who has announced he will be a candidate for governor in 2026. Has Drummond made some sort of political calculation that Oklahoma voters will approve of throwing the Oklahoma Standard out the window and punishing all Afghans for the acts of just a few of them? Drummond is defending his call for expulsion by pointing out that an Afghan refugee shot and wounded two police officers in Virginia in April and that two others in Oklahoma allegedly plotted a mass shooting on Election Day 2024 before being arrested. The attorney general did not elaborate on the legal principle he believes justifies the expulsion of all members of a particular ethnic group — who came to this country legally — because a few members of that group broke the law. Drummond criticized Stitt and former President Joe Biden for "not properly vetting" the Afghans that were admitted, apparently under the illusion that some piece of paper would serve as a guarantee against future law-breaking. The Oklahoman rejects this reasoning. If Drummond is to be our next governor, and early polls show him to be well on that path, we urge him to accept the invitation put forth in a recent op-ed by Veronica Laizure-Henry, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Oklahoma Chapter, to meet with members of the Muslim community and our new Afghan neighbors and learn more about them before making broad, inflammatory deportation demands. We admire many of the stands Drummond has taken since being sworn in as attorney general in 2023, particularly in protecting religious freedom. But we deplore the political posturing and the lack of merit in his generic attack on a group of people who are following the law, contributing to our community, and to whom, in many cases, we owe a debt of gratitude for their actions to aid and protect our servicemembers and other Americans when we were strangers in their land. This editorial was written by William C. Wertz, and represents the position of The Oklahoman editorial board, which includes deputy opinion editor Wertz, opinion editor Clytie Bunyan and executive editor Ray Rivera. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Trump and AG Drummond are wrong on Afghan refugees | Editorial
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Is Juneteenth a federal holiday? Will Stitt or Trump recognize it? What to know in Oklahoma
America's newest federal holiday is right around the corner, but not everyone may get the day off work. Juneteenth commemorates the events of June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas when the last Black slaves of the Confederacy were ordered free following the arrival of Union troops. The day, which rose to national prominence in 2020 amid nationwide protests for ongoing racial inequities, was officially recognized a federal holiday by President Joe Biden in 2021. But with the Trump administration pushing to end diversity, equity and inclusion, and Gov. Kevin Stitt following the president's stances against DEI, many may wonder how the Sooner State will celebrate the freedom of formerly enslaved people. As it currently stands, Juneteenth is a federal holiday but not a state holiday, meaning that on Thursday, June 19, federal offices, such as the Oklahoma City Federal Building, will be closed, while state-run offices will remain open. Conversely, the City of Oklahoma City declares an official holiday on Juneteenth, with a modified schedule and closures for city-run offices. The governor has acknowledged the holiday in previous years; for instance, in 2020, he released a statement regarding the holiday amid the country's racial relations. However, Stitt's office has yet to release a statement since then, only making posts on X in 2021 and 2022. Juneteenth is a federal holiday that honors June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Texas were set free. The order for the state came about two and a half years after the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation. It became a federal holiday in 2021 under the Biden administration. Juneteenth will be celebrated on Thursday, June 19, 2025. The holiday is tied to that date, but workers might get the day off on a Monday or Friday some years if the federal holiday falls on a weekend. In Oklahoma, Juneteenth remains on the calendar, both as a federal holiday and as organizers begin their events. Oklahoma City and Tulsa both have events scheduled during Juneteenth weekend, with Tulsa's events starting on June 18. Governor Kevin Stitt acknowledged the holiday throughout Oklahoma in June 2020, 2021 and 2022, though he hasn't since. In his 2020 statement, he stated, "As a man of faith, I look to 1 Corinthians 12:26, which says, 'If one part suffers, every part suffers with it.'" "We can admit that racism is real and that it's wrong, even if we haven't experienced it firsthand. After all, how can we be a part of a solution to a problem we won't admit exists?" Oklahoma has observed Juneteenth since 1994, but it is not a state holiday; therefore, state government offices in Oklahoma will remain open. Likewise, city offices and city operations will be affected by the holiday. Governor Stitt's Office did not comment on whether the governor plans to declare the holiday this year. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Is Juneteenth a federal holiday? Will Oklahoma recognize it? What to know
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
'No Kings' protests scheduled in Oklahoma, US: Gov. Stitt says troopers 'stand ready'
As Oklahomans prepare to gather in protest against President Donald Trump, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has said state troopers are readying themselves in case of violence. The "No Kings National Day of Defiance" has been planned for Saturday, June 14, in response to the Trump administration's policies and the U.S. Army's multimillion-dollar military parade to honor the military branch's 250th anniversary, planned for the same day. The parade also coincides with Trump's 79th birthday and Flag Day, and comes amid the Los Angeles protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The L.A. protests have escalated after Trump deployed the National Guard to the state, an unusual step without the permission of the governor. "President Trump wants tanks in the street and a made-for-TV display of dominance for his birthday," the No Kings website states. "A spectacle meant to look like strength. But real power isn't staged in Washington. It rises up everywhere else ... From city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we're taking action to reject authoritarianism — and show the world what democracy really looks like." According to a social media post from Gov. Stitt, the Oklahoma state troopers "stand ready" in the event of "violence or lawlessness." Oklahoma City will be one of hundreds of cities and towns holding "No Kings" protests. Organized by two groups called Indivisible and 50501 — which were founded in response to Trump's first and second presidential elections, respectively — the rallies are meant to protest what the organization calls "increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption from Trump and his allies." "We've watched as they've cracked down on free speech, detained people for their political views, threatened to deport American citizens, and defied the courts," the No Kings OKC event page said. "They've done this all while continuing to serve and enrich their billionaire allies." While Gov. Stitt said on social media that "peaceful assembly is allowed," he also gave a warning to protesters in case the rallies turn violent. "In Oklahoma, we won't tolerate any threats to our communities, citizens, property owners or law enforcement," Stitt said. "Just like the summer of 2020, if they show up in our state, we will arrest anyone breaking the law — that's a fact." Nonviolent action is a "core principle" of all No Kings events, the OKC event page said. The organization expects all those in attendance "to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values." There will be 13 "No Kings" protests in Oklahoma, including three in Tulsa, in the following cities: Oklahoma City Tulsa Bartlesville Lawton Ada Ponca City Tahlequah McAlester Ardmore Durant Idabel The Oklahoma City "No Kings" protest will be a march beginning at the corner of Oklahoma City Boulevard and Hudson Avenue. Starting at 9 a.m., protesters will march 1.2 miles to City Hall Park, at 109 N. Hudson Ave. The event is scheduled to end at noon after a rally outside City Hall. Contributing: Margie Cullen, USA TODAY NETWORK This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: 'No Kings' protests set across Oklahoma, US; Stitt says troopers ready