Capitol Connections: What the Wildfire Mitigation Act means for your cooperative

Proposed Oklahoma wildfire bills let co-ops create mitigation plans, add legal clarity and fund prevention to protect people, property and power.

From grassfires that race across open pasture to large blazes that threaten homes, livestock and power infrastructure, electric cooperatives are increasingly on the front lines of wildfire prevention and response. That’s why your cooperative is closely tracking new proposed legislation, the Wildland Fire Mitigation Act.

Two proposed bills, SB-1071 and HB-2989, give electric utilities, including electric cooperatives, the option to develop electrical wildland fire mitigation plans. These plans will be detailed, locally-tailored strategies for inspecting power lines, managing vegetation, upgrading equipment and restoring service after a fire. For cooperatives, this flexibility is key. No two service territories are the same, and co-ops know their lines, landscapes and members better than anyone.

Just as important, the bills bring much-needed legal clarity. They provide that adopting a fire mitigation plan does not create additional legal or financial risk. Adopting a fire mitigation plan is a good thing and the cooperative shouldn’t be penalized or made more liable for creating one.

The utility must still meet National Electric Safety Code standards and negligence will be judged by long existing Oklahoma Supreme Court standards. All of this matters for rural electric systems which operate across areas where wildfire risk is real but not always predictable.

The bills also establish the Wildland Fire Mitigation Program Act, creating a new program within the Oklahoma Conservation Commission to help prevent large wildfires before they start. The program would incentivize landowners and land managers to implement fire breaks, fuel reduction strategies and other mitigation practices, adding another layer of protection.

At their core, the bills are about protecting people, property and power offered at a reasonable cost. And that’s something Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives and the members they serve can stand behind.

Key issues update:

Wildfire mitigation:

• The Wildland Fire Mitigation Act relates to electric utilities by encouraging the adoption of Wildland Fire Mitigation Plans.
• Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives are tracking this legislation because wildfire risk touches everything electric cooperatives stand for: safety, reliability and affordability for the communities we serve.
• Co-ops power more than 93% of Oklahoma’s landmass, much of it rural and fire prone.
• When fires happen, co-op crews are often among the first to respond. Co-ops are restoring power, supporting emergency services and helping communities recover.

Co-op position:

Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives support the Wildland Fire Mitigation Act as it is currently presented because it encourages proactive, practical solutions while respecting the unique structure of electric cooperatives. It pairs prevention with fairness, responsibility with flexibility and safety with affordability. Wildland fire mitigation efforts should not increase wildland fire liability. Cooperatives are actively working with landowners and government partners to minimize wildland fire risks.