Rural Rogers County Fire Department Prepares For Wildfire Outbreak

Thursday, two units from the Northwest Rogers County Fire Protection district responded to grass fires in Nowata County.

Two units from Station 2 in Talala went on a mutual aid request from the Lenapah Fire Department near Oklahoma 10 and US 169.

Chief Mat Shockley said Northwest will be joined by other elements of the Rogers County Task Force team of fire departments in aiding the Nowata County departments battling the blaze.

The Northwest Rogers County Fire Protection District called in its off-duty firefighters to be ready in case of any fire outbreaks.

Shockley said he wanted the manpower available.

“If we have a fire we can get there faster and get it out fast,” he said.

The Northwest Fire Protection District covers 214 square miles and includes the communities of Oologah, Talala and a large area north and west of Claremore.

The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Fire Warning for almost all of northeast and eastern Oklahoma until 7 p.m.

Red Flag Fire Warning

Shockley says so far there have no reports of any fires in their district but he wants to be ready and to be able to assist any nearby fire department who calls for mutual aid.