HB 1896 Summary

• Amends Oklahoma law on burn bans during drought conditions by modifying requirements for declaring extreme fire danger.

• Adds alternative method for determining severe drought conditions: documented concurrence by a majority of county fire chiefs that extreme drought exists, in addition to the existing National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) criteria.

• Adds a new condition for extreme fire danger: temperatures forecasted at or over 100 degrees Fahrenheit for any day in the next three days.

• Allows agricultural producers to conduct prescribed burns during county-declared extreme fire danger periods if they submit a written burn plan to local fire departments, provide a 72-hour approval period, and comply with specified notification procedures.

• Declares an emergency effective upon passage and approval of the act.