Gov. Stitt issues statement after firing head forester, backlash from lawmakers

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — On Monday, Governor Kevin Stitt issued a statement addressing the recent firing of former Oklahoma Forestry Services director Mark Goeller.

Last week, Stitt criticized the forestry department's response during the large wildfire outbreak in March and accused the department of failing to deploy all of the necessary resources to help fire departments across the state.

Stitt later suggested eliminating the entire forestry department during a press conference on Wednesday.

Several Republican lawmakers criticized Stitt's comments at a press conference held by Oklahoma House Speaker Kyle Hilbert on Thursday. One fire department also voiced their disapproval of Stitt's comments on social media, sharing the link to a petition that called for the governor's impeachment.

Now, Stitt says he's asked Agriculture Secretary Blayne Arthur and Public Safety Secretary Tricia Everest to complete a report within the next week detailing failures during the recent wildfire response and where improvements could be made

The full statement can be read below.

As Governor, it is my duty to protect all four million Oklahomans. It is imperative that I ensure that those serving in state government share in that duty and work to execute it every day.

On March 14, the state experienced the worst outbreak of wildfires in recorded history. It was the perfect storm of high winds, low humidity and drought conditions, which led to nearly 158 wildfires breaking out around the state. Over 500 homes were lost and tragically, four Oklahomans lost their lives.

In the face of overwhelming danger, hundreds of local, volunteer, and rural firefighters ran toward the flames—sacrificing safety, and in some cases, their own homes. Their bravery represents the very best of Oklahoma.

Unfortunately, I learned that the Oklahoma Forestry Services, the agency tasked with preventing and suppressing wildfires, did not use every resource at their disposal to save lives and property. They neglected their duties and left local fire departments begging for further resources to fight fires.

That is simply unacceptable.

I asked the forestry director to step down so we could get a fresh set of eyes on this division and take decisive steps to prevent a tragedy like this from happening in the future. As the Secretary of Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry and the Director of Oklahoma Emergency Management began to dig into what happened on March 14, they were met with reluctance to give answers.

When they received the answers they needed, they found that the director only deployed half of his available resources to help local firefighters around the state.

While our local firefighters were stretched thin, leadership at Forestry Services failed to act with the urgency the moment demanded.

When I learn information like this, I have no choice but to make a change. As we dig into this agency, we will efficiently use funds to build the division back better or we can divert resources to local fire stations that are better situated to protect their communities.

We see time and time again that bureaucratic processes stand in the way of getting actual work done for the people of Oklahoma. This time, the bureaucracy cost lives.

We owe it to those we lost—and to every family rebuilding—to ensure this never happens again. Accountability is not a punishment; it’s a promise.  I have tasked Agriculture Secretary Blayne Arthur and Public Safety Secretary Tricia Everest to assemble a report detailing where our response failed and what can be done to improve that response in the future. That will be completed within the week so all Oklahomans can have answers.

While work needs to be done, I am proud that the Oklahoma Standard came out in full force as Oklahomans started to rebuild from these fires and care for their neighbors. While that will never bring those we lost back, we keep them in our prayers and we will work to honor their legacies in everything we do.  

Oklahomans deserve a government that acts swiftly, decisively, and with their best interests at heart. When lives are at stake, there is no room for hesitation, mismanagement, or bureaucracy that hinders action. The tragic events of March 14 have underscored a painful reality—but also given us an opportunity to rebuild a system that truly prioritizes people over process.

My administration will continue to hold agencies accountable and ensure that every arm of government serves our communities with integrity and urgency. Together, we will rise from this loss, honor the heroism of our firefighters, and build a stronger, safer Oklahoma for all.

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt