OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) With the extreme fire danger on the way, Oklahoma is home to invasive trees that often explode during wildfires.

There is a new push at the capitol to do away with Eastern Red Cedar Trees and other invasive species.

Rep. Mike Dobrinski (R-Okeene) passed a measure in the House that would expand a program to eradicate the species in certain watersheds statewide.

House Bill 2162 would create the Terry Peach Watershed Restoration Act, which would build on legislation enacted in 2023 that created a pilot program focused on the North Canadian Watershed.

“We were going to concentrate on trying to address the invasive woody species that is taking lots and lots of our water out of western Oklahoma,” said Rep. Dobrinski.

The goal is not only to improve water flow to drought-stricken areas, but to protect property and infrastructure from fire danger,

“The oils and the resins that are in the trees make them just nearly explosive in the right conditions,” said Rep. Dobrinski.

The Oklahoma Conservation Commission, which runs the pilot program, says the state has already seen success.

“Around Woodward and Boiling Springs and different places around Northwestern Oklahoma, we’ve really created some safety zones,” said Trey Lam, executive director of Oklahoma Conservation Commission.

The commission has also provided training and support for rural fire departments and burn associations to continue the work.

Crews have also been educating the public on eradication methods and how to maintain areas that have been cleared of invasive species.

If passed, the bill would remove the pilot status of the program and would create a revolving fund to be administered by the Oklahoma Conservation Commission.

The estimated cost of expansion is $10 million, which would have to be approved through the appropriations’ process.

It would allow the program to go state-wide.

“Not every ecosystem around the state is the same. Definitely, the Panhandle is very different than the Broken Bow area, which is very different than the Tulsa area,” said Lam.

Without further funding, experts warn the problem will only get worse.

“The area of cedar infestations and woody species vegetation is growing by 7% a year and that’s like 700,000 acres a year,” said Lam.

The bill passed the House on a vote of 88 to 4 and it now moves to the state Senate.

There is also a similar bill in the Senate by Sen. Casey Murdock (R-Felt).

“We have two versions moving at the same time, so that hopefully something makes it to the finish line, gets the appropriate funding within the budget and the governor can sign on in support,” said Rep. Dobrinski.

There are some other bills too that deal with invasive species, including Senate Bill 940 by Sen. Darcy Jech (R-Kingfisher).

The bill would require state agencies to report any invasive species.

“They all control really thousands of acres in Oklahoma, thousands of acres that are impacted by these species,” said Sen. Jech.

The agency would have to submit a plan to either control or remove the species from their property.

“We’re already seeing that private property owners are doing their part, they are making their own impact on their property, so this is just a way, in my opinion, for state agencies to be good neighbors to those farmers and ranchers around them,” said Sen. Jech.

Senate Bill 940 has passed the Senate and is moving on to the House.