Oklahoma Coordinates Statewide Wildfire Response

Emergency operations center tracks fires, deploys crews to limit threats to homes

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Oklahoma's emergency operations center near the Capitol in Oklahoma City is coordinating the statewide response to wildfires, with crews prestaged across the state and ready to move often before 911 calls even come in. The center tracks fires in real-time using various methods, including citizen reports through 911 and geostationary satellites, and deploys crews to key locations to combat the blazes.

Why it matters

Wildfires pose a serious threat to homes and communities in Oklahoma, and the state's coordinated emergency response aims to quickly identify and contain fires before they can cause significant damage. The operations center's use of advanced technology and pre-positioned crews allows for a more proactive and effective firefighting effort.

The details

The emergency operations center handles the logistics of the statewide wildfire response, bringing together state assets, local fire departments, and emergency management organizations. Crews are staged in strategic locations like Rogers County, Henrietta, Shawnee, Weatherford, Woodward, and the Oklahoma Panhandle, ready to deploy quickly. When additional resources are needed, the center coordinates the arrival of reinforcements, including aviation support from Texas and heavy equipment from Arkansas.

  • The emergency operations center near the Capitol in Oklahoma City is coordinating the statewide wildfire response.
  • Crews are prestaged across the state and ready to deploy often before 911 calls come in.

The players

Drew Daily

Deputy fire management chief for Oklahoma Forestry Services, overseeing the coordination efforts from the emergency operations center.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The plan is to keep fires as small as we can to limit the amount of threats they have to our homes.”

— Drew Daily, Deputy fire management chief, Oklahoma Forestry Services (koco.com)

“This is just a coordination hub for all the state assets that we bring to bear, supporting wildfire occurrence, the local fire departments, emergency management organizations and others across the state of Oklahoma.”

— Drew Daily, Deputy fire management chief, Oklahoma Forestry Services (koco.com)

“Citizens' reports by telephone through 911 are one of those. That's a traditional one. But we supplement that and actually can often beat those 911 calls by utilizing those geostationary satellites.”

— Drew Daily, Deputy fire management chief, Oklahoma Forestry Services (koco.com)

“We're utilizing some aviation that's currently placed in Texas. ... We're going to be bringing in some additional heavy equipment — firefighting dozers — from some of our sister agencies, like the state of Arkansas.”

— Drew Daily, Deputy fire management chief, Oklahoma Forestry Services (koco.com)

What’s next

The emergency operations center will continue to monitor the wildfire situation across Oklahoma and coordinate the deployment of additional resources as needed to combat the blazes.

The takeaway

Oklahoma's proactive and coordinated emergency response to wildfires, leveraging advanced technology and pre-positioned crews, demonstrates the state's commitment to protecting its communities from the growing threat of these natural disasters.