OKC Firefighters Work On New Plan To Tackle Wildfires

The Oklahoma City Fire Department is working on a new plan to tackle wildfires across the metro.

Because Oklahoma City is so big and there are so many outlying areas, it takes awhile for them to get to some of these wildfires. So they are counting on the public to help them get prepared.

Oklahoma City Fire Department Maj. Joe Johns did an exchange program in the fall of last year with a fire department in Santa Fe, New Mexico. There, he was able to realize the big problem Oklahoma City is facing regarding wildfires.

Because Oklahoma City is so large and spread out, there are numerous areas where development meets natural vegetation which makes these areas incredibly vulnerable to wildfires.

That's why they are coming up with a plan to help you keep your home safe, especially if you live in an outlying area. 

"I'd like to see people get their homes prepared, hardened, make them defendable, because if you help us then, if we are slow getting there, for some reason because you're in the outlying areas, then that gives us extra time," Johns said.

There will be several meetings held on Thursday nights starting next week at multiple different fire stations. Below are the list of meeting times:

MEETING TIMES / LOCATIONS:

• 9/21/2017      Fire Station 18          4116 N. Prospect Avenue              6 p.m. 
• 9/28/2017      Fire Station 30          4343 S. Lake Hefner Drive            6 p.m. 
• 10/5/2017      Fire Station 27          6400 N. Westminster Rd.              6 p.m. 
• 10/12/2017    Fire Station 28          7101 S. Anderson Rd.                   6 p.m. 
• 10/19/2017    Fire Station 32          12233 N. Mustang Rd.                  6 p.m. 
• 10/26/2017    Fire Station 35          13017 S. May Avenue                   6 p.m. 
• 11/2/2017      Fire Station 33          11630 SW. 15th St.                        6 p.m.