Oklahoma
Q&A: Advice for homeowners as Eastern Red Cedar helps fuel Oklahoma wildfires
Since Friday, fires have burned through thousands of acres, destroyed hundreds of homes, and have taken at least four lives. Dry conditions, high winds, and one Oklahoma tree have fanned the flames.
Q: How does the Eastern Red Cedar affect communities?
A: The water off Arcadia Lake has been the antidote to nature’s insidious plans across Oklahoma. People captured images of Bridger Aerospace’s firefighting planes scooping water from the lake. Those planes dumped the water onto a fire a few miles Northeast on Monday.
A tree along the lake’s banks and beyond helped fuel those fires – the Eastern Red Cedar. The Easter Red Cedar is filled with volatile oils that make it ignite and burn easily.
“It is impacting all the citizens of Oklahoma,” said John Weir, senior extension specialist of Natural Resource Ecology & Management at Oklahoma State University Extension. “They’re a native invasive.”
Q: Why are there so many cedar trees in Oklahoma?
A: Weir said the Eastern Red Cedar was overplanted in the early 1900s and invaded places they wouldn’t be under natural circumstances. The past week revealed the consequences as wildfires plagued several communities.
“I’m not a supporter or lover of cedar that’s for sure,” Weir said.
Weir spent Tuesday monitoring a piece of land owned by OSU that felt the fires’ impact.
“We’re just out here keeping an eye on it – making sure nothing flares back up,” Weir said.
Q: What efforts exist to mitigate cedar trees?
A: State conversation efforts aim to reduce the tree’s population. House Bill 2162 is a proposed law making its way through the Oklahoma state legislature. Its goal is to reduce the growing threat of wildfires by tackling the overpopulation of red cedar trees. The responsibility also rests on homeowners.
“Prescribed fire is one of the best ways to control Eastern Red Cedar,” Weir said. “My total recommendation is – get rid of all of them.”
Q: How can homeowners reduce fire risk?
A: John said if homeowners don’t want to get rid of the red cedars altogether, they should prune them from the ground up by at least five feet. That way a potential fire can’t flow into the canopies of the trees so easily.
“Definitely keep cedars back and away from any kind of building structures,” Weir said.
Weir said to keep doors and windows closed on any structure and keep flammable items away from buildings. He said wooden security fences can pose a risk along with wood piles if they are close to homes.
Q: Who should homeowners contact if they want to remove red cedars?
A: Weir recommended people contact their county extension office or the Oklahoma Conservation Commission. That state has several programs in place to help control red cedars and limit fire risk.
“There’s several that are working have knowledge [to] help remove cedars either mechanically, with fire, and however we can get that done,” Weir said.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KSWO) — Oklahoma lawmakers have voted to honor country music artist and Oklahoma native Toby Keith.
House Concurrent Resolution 1019 recognizes Keith’s lasting impact on music and proposes renaming a planned turnpike in his memory.
The concurrent resolution was authored by Rep. Jason Blair, R-Morgan, and Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman.
The planned route will extend from Interstate 44 east to Interstate 35, then continue east and north to I-40 at the Kickapoo Turnpike.
Copyright 2026 KSWO. All rights reserved.
Governor Kevin Stitt has said he wants the State Superintendent of Education to be a governor-elected position instead of an elected one. Political analyst Scott Mitchell examines what this would mean for the state.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is urging lawmakers to send a state question to voters that would make the state superintendent an appointed position, as he named Lindel Fields of Tulsa to the role and announced a turnaround team to help implement his education agenda.
Is the State Superintendent an elected role?
Yes, the State Superintendent of Education is still an elected role. Elections are scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026.
Cons of making the superintendent an appointed position
Mitchell said making this position appointed could cause distrust among some Oklahomans
“Over the years, we’ve seen that capture of regulatory sort of is easy to do when you have term limits, then lobbies become more powerful, and they have all the history. It’s very complicated.
He also said if the position were to be elected, they would likely have the same agenda as the governor.
“Yes, and I think the governor would be absolutely saying, ‘Yes, they’re going to do what I want them to do.’”
Changing how the superintendent is chosen changes what the founding fathers set.
“Voters are going to have to say yay or nay if it gets to them, is whether or not we want to change the way that the founding fathers set up the way that we make sure that power is not concentrated in Oklahoma,” he said.
Is Ryan Walters’ term the reason Stitt wants to make this position appointed?
Mitchell said he believes the former State Superintendent played a role in the government wanting to appoint this position.
During his time as superintendent, Walters was known to have multiple controversies. He resigned in 2025, allowing Stitt to appoint Lindel Fields.
“His impact on this, even though he’s gone, is certainly evident,” said Mitchell. “Walters left midstream, right? And so the governor had a chance to appoint someone. Well, it wasn’t just an appointment; it was chaos before and relative calm and competency after. And that has given the governor an opening for people to see with their own eyes. Yeah, you can put somebody in, we’re talking about Lindel Fields, that appears to get up every day, not trying to find some, get a click on social media, but rather to do his job. And across the board, for the most part, this guy’s getting thumbs up.
Stitt said electing Fields has already given him some leverage since he has been well perceived so far.
“That allows a governor to say, Look, I’ve got some standing, some leverage to go to the voters and say, let’s put expertise as the main reason that a person’s there, not because they were able to win an election because they had some sort of populist or dramatic ideas.”
Who is running for Oklahoma State Superintendent?
Republican Ballot
- Sen. Adam Pugh
- John Cox
- Rep. Toni Hasenbeck
- Ana Landsaw
Democrat Ballot
- Craig Mcvay
- Jennettie Marshall
Independent
To learn more about each candidate, click here.
A full breakdown of candidates in the 2026 Oklahoma State Superintendent race, including party affiliation, background and key education priorities.
An Oklahoma highway could soon be named after the late country superstar, Toby Keith, pending new legislation.
House Concurrent Resolution 1019 would rename a proposed turnpike project the “Toby Keith Expressway.” This roadway is set to be built from Interstate 44 East to Interstate-35, continuing East and North to Interstate 40. This road is a part of the ACCESS Oklahoma Long-Range Plan, which is meant to update and expand the state’s turnpike system.
This resolution was adopted by the House on Wednesday.
“Toby Keith was more than a country music star. He was a proud Oklahoman who never forgot where he came from,” said Rep. Jason Blair, R-Moore. “Naming this turnpike in his honor is a fitting way to recognize a man who represented our state with ultimate patriotism and generosity.”
Keith was born in Clinton, Oklahoma, raised in Moore and resided in Norman. He died on February 5, 2024, in a battle with cancer.
“Over the course of his legendary career, Toby Keith never forgot where he came from or what he stood for,” said Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman. “His Oklahoma roots shaped him, and his love of America defined him. He was a country music superstar and a true patriot. I can think of no better way to honor his memory than by naming this future stretch of Norman turnpike in his honor, creating a lasting tribute to the legacy he leaves behind.”
During his career, Keith sold over 40 million records and more than 20 number-one singles
Legislation authors believe this would commemorate the life and legacy of Toby Keith.
The bill will now head to the Senate.
To read the full House Resolution, click here.
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