Agricultural News
Fires Consume 90,000 Acres and Counting Across Oklahoma- The Costs to Oklahoma Agriculture Continue to be Counted
Mon, 06 Aug 2012 16:58:24 CDT
Firefighters continue to work on about two dozen fires spread across Oklahoma as of Monday afternoon, with at least 90,000 acres burned thus far since the 31st of July- that according to Michelle Finch-Walker with the Oklahoma Department of Agiculture's Forestry Services.
The largest fire over this past weekend was easily the Freedom Hills Fire, which forced the evacuation of Mannford. The acreage total for that fire alone was been estimated at 58,500 acres. According to the Forestry Services Fireblog, "Extreme fire behavior, critically dry fuels and extreme weather contributed to resistance to control." Finch-Walker adds that a shift in the wind allowed this fire to rapidly expand on Saturday, almost doubling its size in a matter of hours.
For cattle producers, one concern that State Secreatary of Agriculture Jim Reese raises is with the pasture and in many cases, their supply of hay burned up- ranchers need help in getting some hay for those animals who have survived the flames.
The cost to Oklahoma Agriculture continues to be counted- but barns, pasture, hay, equipment, fences and cattle have all been lost.
You can listen to our Monday afternoon conversation with State Secretary of Agriculture Jim Reese and Forestry Services Spokesperson Michelle Finch-Walker by clicking on the Listen Bar below. You can read the latest tally on acres and get other details from the Oklahoma Deparment of Agriculture's Forestry Services Fireblog- click here for that daily update.
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