Oklahomans know first-hand the devastation and destruction a wildfire can cause. Families
in the path of dangerous blazes often leave or are ordered to evacuate their homes
for safety reasons.
More than 830,000 acres of land across Oklahoma have burned so far this month due
to wildfires. Lives, homes, livestock and crops have been lost in the devastation.
Many parts of Oklahoma recently experienced devastating wildfires. Some families lost
their homes, while other homes and structures in the path of the flames were spared.
Oklahomans continue to be reminded of the devastation that can come with wildfire.
While homes, structures and livestock can be lost, landowners who rely on grasslands,
shrublands and forests as an enterprise are left trying to figure out how to recover
the vegetation and habitat.
Fire in Oklahoma is extremely beneficial. It restores grasslands and controls unwanted
species. It is a natural process that provides habitat for certain wildlife.
Wildfires that blazed their way through parts of central and northwestern Oklahoma
recently highlight the need to act quickly to dispose of livestock and other large
animal carcasses.
Recent wildfires have left some agricultural producers contemplating burial of deceased
animals as the most expedient way of disposing of livestock carcasses.
Oklahoma once again is in the midst of major wildfires in the western part of the
state. Fire has consumed more than 366,000 acres with no end in sight.
Adrenaline-fueled panic and confusion may still be affecting livestock even after
the flames of recent wildfires have passed, meaning producers need to use caution
when working with the animals.
After losing so much, families affected by the wildfires sweeping across western Oklahoma
may be feeling emotionally overwhelmed, which raises the need to pay attention to
potential mental health concerns.