Latest news with #ForestryService
CBC
27-05-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Here's how to protect yourself and your home this fire season
Warmer temperatures and a drier winter mean a higher risk of wildfires this season, according to the St. John's Regional Fire Department and the Newfoundland and Labrador Forestry Service. They offer some tips on how best to reduce risk of fire damage and be safe this summer.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. Stitt stands by firing some Forestry Service staff members
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Governor Stitt said he's standing by his firings of staff from the Forestry Service after the March deadly fires. Several fire crews have now called for an independent investigation into what happened and what the state could do better. 'It's tough to believe anything – he's been fact-checked several times by fire departments and the media and his facts have been incorrect. So right now you just can't believe anything that comes out of the governor's office,' said Fire Chief Jason Dobson of the Olive Volunteer Fire Dept. His department was one of the first to share the petition which called for Governor Stitt's impeachment. 'I know he's not going to get impeached, we know that,' said Chief Dobson. 'We just hope he sees this and does something different than what he's doing. Oklahomans in the fire service are not happy with what he's done. We're upset.' 'If the governor can't fire the head of the forestry, who can?,' said Gov. Stitt. Stitt didn't seem to be going back on any firings or statements he had made in weeks past. However this week he did seem to go back on his offering to get rid of the Department of Forestry as a whole. This week House Speaker Kyle Hilbert (R-Bristow) said that the governor seems to be misinterpreting the data. The governor didn't seem to agree. 'When you're not sending half of your resources to those fires, you're doing something wrong,' said Gov. Stitt. 'I don't know how anybody can argue with me, maybe the media will, but I don't think Oklahomans will. If you have assets and they weren't deployed to these fires, that's the problem' Wednesday Cherokee Nation Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. spoke on the House floor against moves made by the governor surrounding the Forestry Service Dept. Bill aimed at saving Oklahoma pharmacies, could increase price of prescriptions 'We have got to keep the Oklahoma Forestry Department alive and well, we need it and you need it,' said Chief Hoskin Jr. The governor was pressed Wednesday also on things he could've done differently like a statewide burn ban or a Public Safety Power Shutoff, several other states do something similar. You knew about the dangers way in advance of that Friday so why didn't you act? Do you not take any blame at all for what happened? 'Yeah ultimately the governor is responsible that's why I'm taking action now,' said Gov. Stitt. 'And I don't think it's practical for the governor to say hey, I'm going to shut off your power.' He is standing by his actions and said that his new Wildland Fire Response Team is expected to have results and a sort of presentation in 30 days on what the state could do better. Chief Dobson argued that they need to do an outside investigation and bring in experts who aren't appointed by Gov. Stitt. 'We're not happy, he needs to know that we're upset,' said Chief Dobson. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Oklahoma governor backs down on forestry abolishment proposal after backlash
Gov. Kevin Stitt on Wednesday suggests elimination of the Oklahoma Forestry Service, criticizing its response to historic wildfires that swept across the state last month. His remarks were made during his weekly briefing with reporters in the Blue Room at the Capitol. (photo by Barbara Hoberock/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY – A key legislative leader said Tuesday he is pleased that Gov. Kevin Stitt has backed off his call to abolish the Forestry Service following historic March wildfires. During a Tuesday interview with Oklahoma City television station News 9, the Republican governor said he no longer plans to abolish that state agency tasked with wildland fire detection and preserving the state's forests. Stitt's about-face came less than a day after he doubled down on his controversial call to shutter the agency and reallocate the funding to volunteer fire departments. 'It's encouraging to hear the governor's shifting position of abolishing the forestry department,' said House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow. 'I think Oklahomans said loud and clear that is not a good idea.' Stitt told the television station Tuesday that he threatened to close the Forestry Service because his administration was not getting answers about the deployment of resources. 'Listen, we are not going to get rid of forestry,' Stitt told the station on Tuesday. 'I love our forestry. Those guys are doing what they are told. The bureaucracy at the top, their management let them down by not deploying them accurately.' He told the TV station Tuesday that he had fired 'a couple more people at the top level at forestry because – they were – it was insubordination.' Stitt said Agriculture Secretary Blayne Arthur could not get answers from administrators in Forestry Services for three weeks. Stitt's office did not respond to Oklahoma Voice's requests for comment on Tuesday. During a press availability last week, Stitt first expressed frustration over how the agency responded to historic wildfires that began March 14. He lost a ranch in the fires. Nearly 158 wildfires swept across the state, killing four and destroying more than 500 homes. Stitt has previously said he fired the agency's head, Mark Goeller, who denied wrongdoing. Many have expressed support for Goeller. 'I didn't think they did a really good job,' Stitt said last week. 'Here's the deal. Why do I even have a Department of Forestry? Let's just get rid of the whole thing.' Goeller could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Stitt's remarks drew criticism from legislative leaders, including Hilbert, and local and volunteer fire departments. When asked about Stitt's claims that other Forestry Service leaders had been disciplined, Kirsten Hollansworth, a spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, said Tuesday that the agency does not comment on personnel matters. Stitt was also asked why he didn't declare a burn ban. 'It didn't hit the threshold at that point, is what they told me,' Stitt said. Stitt's office did not respond to a question from Oklahoma Voice on Tuesday about whether he was out of town in March. A Tulsa television station reported that Senate President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, was acting governor during a portion of the fires. While Stitt has said half of the resources were not deployed, his office did not respond to a request for additional information. Stitt's office said Tuesday afternoon in a press release that he had formed a fire response working group to 'enhance Oklahoma's wildfire mitigation, suppression, and recovery capabilities.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. Stitt doubles down on criticizing state Forestry Service's response to wildfires
OKLAHOMA CITY – Gov. Kevin Stitt on Monday doubled down on his criticism of the state's Forestry Service, accusing the agency of not using 'every resource at their disposal to save lives and property' during historic wildfires last month. The Republican also reiterated a controversial call to consider abolishing the agency that is tasked with preserving the state's forest and is responsible for wildland fire detection. 'Unfortunately, I learned that the Oklahoma Forestry Services, the agency tasked with preventing and suppressing wildfires, did not use every resource at their disposal to save lives and property,' Stitt said in a statement. 'They neglected their duties and left local fire departments begging for further resources to fight fires. This is simply unacceptable.' Stitt said only 'half' of the Forestry Service's resources were deployed during the state's worst wildfire outbreak, which he described as 'the perfect storm of high winds, low humidity and drought conditions.' More: Stitt renews call for tax cut, wants investigation of wildfire response Nearly 158 wildfires swept across the state beginning March 14, killing four and destroying more than 500 homes, including a ranch Stitt owned. Stitt said Monday that he asked Mark Goeller, the head of the Forestry Service, to 'step down' so there could be 'a fresh set of eyes' and so the state could 'take decisive steps to prevent a tragedy like this from happening in the future.' Goeller has denied wrongdoing. 'The Agency to which I dedicated over 40 years of my life was said to have performed poorly,' Goeller wrote March 30 on social media. 'Preparations were made well in advance, the public was notified of the impending fire danger, firefighting resources were ordered and in place. 'Nothing was held back as the events of the 14th and following days unfolded.' Stitt last week first suggested abolishing the Forestry Service and providing funds directly to local fire departments, a plan that was swiftly panned by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Several high-ranking lawmakers were highly critical of the suggestion. Many have voiced support for Goeller. Stitt said he has asked his secretaries of agriculture and public safety, Blayne Arthur and Tricia Everest, respectively, to 'assemble a report detailing where our response failed and what can be done to improve that response in the future.' The report will be completed within a week, he said. Oklahoma Voice is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janelle Stecklein for questions: info@ This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Gov. doubles down on criticism of Forestry Service
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Stitt orders review of handling of Oklahoma wildfires, doubles down on criticism
House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, speaks at a news conference while flanked by House Republicans on April 3, 2025, at the state Capitol in Oklahoma City. Hilbert said calls to eliminate the Forestry Service are "unacceptable." (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY – Gov. Kevin Stitt on Monday doubled down on his criticism of the state's Forestry Service, accusing the agency of not using 'every resource at their disposal to save lives and property' during historic wildfires last month. The Republican also reiterated a controversial call to consider abolishing the agency that is tasked with preserving the state's forest and is responsible for wildland fire detection. 'Unfortunately, I learned that the Oklahoma Forestry Services, the agency tasked with preventing and suppressing wildfires, did not use every resource at their disposal to save lives and property,' Stitt said in a statement. 'They neglected their duties and left local fire departments begging for further resources to fight fires. This is simply unacceptable.' Stitt said only 'half' of the Forestry Service's resources were deployed during the state's worst wildfire outbreak, which he described as 'the perfect storm of high winds, low humidity and drought conditions.' Nearly 158 wildfires swept across the state beginning March 14, killing four and destroying more than 500 homes, including a ranch Stitt owned. Stitt said Monday that he asked Mark Goeller, the head of the Forestry Service, to 'step down' so there could be 'a fresh set of eyes' and so the state could 'take decisive steps to prevent a tragedy like this from happening in the future.' Goeller has denied wrongdoing. 'The Agency to which I dedicated over 40 years of my life was said to have performed poorly,' Goeller wrote March 30 on social media. 'Preparations were made well in advance, the public was notified of the impending fire danger, firefighting resources were ordered and in place. 'Nothing was held back as the events of the 14th and following days unfolded.' Stitt last week first suggested abolishing the Forestry Service and providing funds directly to local fire departments, a plan that was swiftly panned by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Several high-ranking lawmakers were highly critical of the suggestion. Many have voiced support for Goeller. Stitt said he has asked his secretaries of agriculture and public safety, Blayne Arthur and Tricia Everest, respectively, to 'assemble a report detailing where our response failed and what can be done to improve that response in the future.' The report will be completed within a week, he said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
