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.