Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s Emerald Ash Borer problem is growing. One farmer says he saw it coming.
An invasive beetle that can kill ash trees within three years has been confirmed in Wagoner County and is affecting landowners in Creek County, Oklahoma, forestry officials say.
The emerald ash borer — a shiny green beetle roughly the size of a penny — kills trees by burrowing under the bark and cutting off water and nutrients. Experts warn it is only a matter of time before it reaches more communities, including Tulsa.
What is the emerald ash borer and why is it so destructive?
The emerald ash borer is an invasive beetle, originally from eastern Asia, that targets ash trees. Unlike native pests, it did not evolve in North American ecosystems, which means local trees have no natural defenses against it, and there are no native predators to keep its population in check.
Dieter Rudolph, a forest health specialist with the Oklahoma Forestry Department, explained the threat this way:
“A lot of our native pests, they’ve got their own checks and balances. They’re part of the ecosystem. Trees have their own defenses against them. They’ve got predators. So with this non-native, it just doesn’t have that because it didn’t evolve in this ecosystem — so it’s able to grow populations at a much faster rate without anything keeping it down. And then all the ash trees, they just don’t know what to do.”
Once inside a tree, the beetle’s larvae eat the wood just beneath the bark, severing the pathways the tree uses to move water and nutrients. On their own, individual beetles do limited damage. But populations grow quickly, and the cumulative effect is fatal.
When was it first found in Oklahoma, and where has it spread?
The emerald ash borer was first detected in Oklahoma in 2016. Since then, it has been confirmed in multiple counties, primarily in the southeastern part of the state. The most recent find was in Creek County, where a landowner spotted the beetle on their property and reported it to the forestry department. Officials say they expect to confirm additional counties when trap checks are conducted around June.
How did one Creek County farmer find out his trees were affected?
Don Bruce has farmed land just outside of Bristow for 31 years. About three years ago, he began noticing his ash trees dying. After seeing a post from the Oklahoma Forestry Department on social media, he called the number listed. A forestry specialist was on his property within an hour, setting up monitoring traps. The diagnosis came back: emerald ash borer, with 99 percent certainty.
The news wasn’t good.
“They said after they start, it takes three years for one to die. But after they get in the first year, there’s no cure. And from then on, there’s no saving them — you’ll lose them,” Bruce said.
Is there any way to save an infected tree?
Largely, no. Rudolph says that by the time the beetle is detected, an infestation is typically well established.
“We can catch it before the trees start dying, so we can start our messaging,” he said. “But that area in itself is usually pretty much close to — if not past — the point of no return.”
Preventative chemical treatments are available, but they must be injected by a certified applicator and only last two to three years. They can slow or prevent new infestation but will not reverse existing damage. Officials say there is currently no cure once a tree is significantly infested.
What should homeowners look for?
Forestry officials say warning signs include a thinning canopy, dying branches, small D-shaped exit holes in the bark, and woodpecker activity on the trunk. Catching an infestation early can help slow the damage, though officials caution that visible symptoms often appear late in the process.
How does it spread, and can it be stopped?
Moving firewood is one of the primary ways the emerald ash borer spreads. Beetles can lay eggs in cut wood, and when that wood is transported to a campsite, another property, or another county, the beetles emerge in a new location. Officials are urging people not to move firewood.
The beetle is also a capable flier, covering roughly 10 to 20 miles per year on its own. Forestry officials say the insect is not currently confirmed in Tulsa County, but that its arrival there is a matter of when, not if.
How is Don Bruce handling it?
Bruce says he has come to accept that his ash trees will not survive. He hopes the forestry department can use the findings from his property to advance research toward a solution. In the meantime, he says the experience has reinforced what he already believed about the land.
“God gave it to us, and it’s our time to just take care of it,” he said. “Just be vigilant of your land, take care of your land, and appreciate what you have.”
What should you do if you spot one?
Anyone who believes they have spotted an emerald ash borer is urged to take a photo and report it to Oklahoma Forestry Services.
Crews responded to a fireworks stand after it caught fire in Broken Arrow Saturday night.
Authorities urged people to avoid E. Kanosha Street near S. 236th E. Avenue as the road is closed and fireworks could spread in the area due to the fire.
Broken Arrow Fire Department released a statement confirming no injuries were sustained as a result of the explosions or fire.
Fire crews quickly controlled the fire in about 20 minutes according to Broken Arrow Fire Department.
The initial cause of the fire is under investigation.
Viewer Leslie Maxey, who lives close to the fireworks stand, sent in video of the ongoing fire.
“We were putting our daughter to bed with a book when we heard an explosion that was gradually getting louder and louder,” Maxey said.
This is a developing story.
What you need to know about Oklahoma ahead of the College World Series
North Carolina will face a dangerous Oklahoma team that is on a roll.
Oklahoma (41-22) has been just as dominant. The Sooners, making their 13th College World Series appearance and first since 2022, surged through the postseason as road warriors. They won the Atlanta Regional by upsetting No. 2 seed and ACC champion Georgia Tech in the final, then swept Big 12 champion and No. 15 seed Kansas by a combined score of 21-3 in the Lawrence Regional.
The Sooners, who are 3-0 in Omaha after beating No. 7 seed Alabama and knocking off No. 3 seed and SEC champion Georgia twice, are seeking their third national championship. Oklahoma won titles in 1951 and 1994 and finished as runner-up to Ole Miss in 2022.
Here are a few things to know about Oklahoma:
Best player: Catcher Deiten LaChance
LaChance is Oklahoma’s most powerful hitter. He is batting .333 with 12 doubles, two triples and team highs of 16 home runs and 65 RBIs.
Throughout the postseason, he is hitting .326 with four home runs and 15 RBIs. In Omaha, he is 5-for-14 (.357) with one home run and five RBIs.
Strengths
Like North Carolina, Oklahoma is a balanced team that is good at a little bit of everything and is built to frustrate opponents.
Oklahoma is a balanced hitting team like UNC, but the Sooners have hit a few more homers with 91, compared to the Tar Heels’ 82. That is largely due to the Sooners smashing 26 home runs in their 10 postseason games. In Omaha, OU has homered eight times, including five homers in its win over Georgia in its previous game.
The Sooners have stolen 129 bases this season. That is good for 24th nationally and second in the SEC.
Pitching-wise, OU is 18th nationally in strikeouts per nine innings and leads the SEC in shutouts.
Weaknesses
The most glaring weakness is the pitching staff, despite its ability to strike out opposing batters and record shutouts.
The Sooners have a 4.98 ERA as a staff. Only one pitcher with 10 or more appearances has an ERA under 3.60.
They also allow 4.51 walks per nine innings, which ranks 138th nationally.
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It was a Friday Night Lights in June kind of moment for the Oklahoma State Cowboys as Israel “Izzy” Hammons made his commitment announcement.
The Choctaw, Okla., rising senior announced his decision to commit to Oklahoma State on Friday during an Instagram Live session. The Cowboys beat out a roster of schools vying for the linebacker, most notably Texas.
Hammons made just two official visits — one to OSU and one to Texas last week.
His commitment pushed the Cowboys’ 2027 recruiting class back to nine players after the defection of Mount Carmel (Chicago, IL) offensive lineman Chase Clark to Purdue.
Commitments are non-binding. The earliest that Hammons can sign with OSU is in December.
Izzy Hammons to OSU
Hammons is the first four-star player to commit to the Cowboys this cycle. Their previous commitments all came from three-star players. The 6-3, 225-pound linebacker was considered a Top 200 player in the country by both On3/Rivals and 247Sports. Both services had him ranked as a Top 10 player in the state of Oklahoma at any position. He’s also considered the No. 1 linebacker in the state.
He also runs track and field, competing in the high jump and the 100-meter days, with a personal best of 11.30 seconds in the latter.
The Longhorns came in hot at the end but already had linebackers committed to the program this cycle. For the Cowboys getting a pledge from a player like Hammons is key to shore up a position where they didn’t have a commitment and where they plan to use senior transfers as starters in 2026. That means OSU and head coach Eric Morris must start building a pipeline now.
OSU’s Class of 2027
After Clark’s decommitment the Cowboys were down to eight recruits for 2027 entering Friday, most of which were on the offensive side of the ball and starting with Iowa Colony (Texas) quarterback Carson White, who was the cycle’s first commitment in April.
Up front, OSU has two offensive line commitments Jake Baker of Ensworth High School in Nashville, Tenn., and Sonny Mullen of Troy, Texas. When it comes to skill positions players the Cowboys have three commitments as well, including two wide receivers — Cooper Hooker of Pryor (Quapaw, Okla.) High School and Ake O’Neal of Argyle, Texas. Oklahoma State also has a pledge from tight end Talan Scott of Queen City, Ariz.
Defensively, the Cowboys have commitments from safeties Chayce Davis of Euless (Texas) Trinity High School and Bryson Brown of Broken Bow, Okla.
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