From this point forward, anyone caught violating a burn ban will be arrested and charges will be presented to the district attorney’s office, according to Oklahoma County Sheriff John Whetsel.

Whetsel and Oklahoma County Commissioner Brian Maughn held a press conference at the Choctaw Fire Department April 12 to announce the new enforcement policy. Three Eastern Oklahoma County residents have already been charged with the misdemeanor of purposely setting a fire during emergency drought conditions.

Those charged are Thomas A. Schroeder, 58, of Newalla; Rogelio Carrisal, 42, of Luther; and Charles Lee Siess, 53, of rural Oklahoma County. Schroeder pleaded not guilty at his initial arraignment. His next court date is June 2. Neither Siess nor Carrisal have appeared before a judge yet, court records show.

During the press conference, Whetsel mentioned specifically the large wildfires that occurred in Harrah, Choctaw and the Spencer area in March.

“Families have been left homeless, pets have been lost and some have died and family keepsakes reduced to ashes as a result of these fires. Unfortunately, those tragedies were not enough to keep some from violating burn bans issued by the Oklahoma County Commissioners,” he said.

FIREFIGHTERS RESPOND
In two of the three cases, the suspects admitted they knew about the burn ban, but went ahead with their plans to burn trash and “junk,” according to affidavits prepared by Oklahoma County deputies. In each case, firefighters were called to extinguish fires caused by the intentional burnings.

A fourth case involving a 15-year-old boy lighting fireworks is pending, Whetsel said. He expects to present the case to the district attorney’s office soon. In this case, the Hickory Hills Fire Department was called to douse a grass fire started by the fireworks.

“Citizens were fortunate in all of these incidents,”  Whetsel said. “Fire crews were able to respond and put out those fires before any wide-spread damage was done.”

His Choctaw home has been threatened by fires the last two years.

During the past two years, hundreds of citizens in Eastern Oklahoma County have been evacuated during wildfires and more than 110 homes have been destroyed.

“It’s not just the structural loss, but also the emotional toll on citizens when a home burns or when a pet is lost,” Whetsel said. “My goal is to emphasize to all citizens how dire this extreme wildfire situation is, and to underscore that anyone who violates these burn ban laws, by whatever means – burning trash, or leaves, or throwing a lit cigarette butt on the ground or out a window – will be arrested.”

Conviction of a burn ban law can result in a $500 fine and not more than one year in jail.

Aaron Gleason, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Norman, said drought conditions will likely continue through June. Oklahoma has an “above average” chance of warmer temperatures than usual during the next three months, according to the Climate Prediction Center.

The center’s computer model shows Oklahoma County has an equal probability for rain and drought during the next three months, Gleason said.

tfarley@eastword.net