“We’re excited for an opportunity to educate Norman residents on wildfires, and what they can do to ensure their safety, as well as the safety of their homes,” Norman Fire Dept. Chief Travis King said.
The information session will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at Station No. 9, 3001 Alameda St.
There will be presentations preparing homeowners in an event of a wildfire, as well as information on an upcoming prescribed burn set for east Norman.
“It’s a very proactive approach; we want people to leave more fire-wise,” Oklahoma Forestry Services spokesperson Drew Daily said. “Some of the things we are going to talk about are some no-cost things homeowners can do to improve their homes’ probability for surviving a wildfire, as well as some general tips on home maintenance.”
King said the timing is appropriate because the state is experiencing dryer conditions and could experience some wildfires in the near future.
“We are starting to see the fuels and the grasses going dormant,” he said. “When they go dormant, fuel moistures are lower, which makes them more susceptible to ignition.”
King said February to April is prime time for wildfires, but they can happen any time.
In addition to the discussion on homeowner wildfire preparedness, the forestry service will educate attendees about its plan to utilize a prescribed fire near Lake Thunderbird in January or February, as well as future plans to utilize prescribed fires.
“The land out there is in need of being properly managed,” Daily said. “To do that is our plan to introduce prescribed fires to the area, specifically for two purposes: to reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfire and to improve the ecology of the habit in the area around the lake.”
Daily said the idea to use prescribed fires as a way to reduce the impact of wildfire occurrences, came from the devastation the 2012 Cleveland County fires caused.
“We are looking to utilize prescribed fires to lessen the chances of seeing the damaging effects that fire caused,” he said.
The series of fires Daily is referring to lasted for weeks.
One woman lost her life and several homes and many buildings were lost, including 58 homes and an estimated 4,500 to 7,000 acres in Norman city limits.
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