Washington County keeps watch as heat climbs into triple digits
Tim Hudson | The Wiley Post
July 31, 2026
Local officials are monitoring soaring temperatures, saying current conditions are not yet a cause for alarm but could become one in the coming months.
"It's miserably hot," Washington County Emergency Management Director Kary Cox told the Wiley Post Friday. "We're back in triple digits."
Cox added that he figures in not only the actual temperature but the heat index.
"Typically we begin seeing problems when we surpass the triple-digit mark," Cox said. "Even when the [air temperature] was still in the high 90s, the heat index or the 'feels like' was 112 — that can be problematic."
Heat climbs, but fire danger remains low
Somewhat surprisingly, the area is not currently under a burn ban and hasn't been since March, according to Cox. Cox attributed that to a wetter-than-normal spring.
"The last time was in March, and we had a burn ban for a couple of weeks but then got some rain," he said.
Cox said officials consider several factors before implementing a burn ban, including an increase in fire activity, difficulty containing fires with normal firefighting methods and forecasts predicting less than a quarter-inch of rain over three days.
While these criteria are not met currently, the recent erratic nature of local weather could become problematic in the coming months.
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Cox said that Washington County has not had a season like this in several years. Usually it would be very dry, then we'd get some rain and nothing afterward, sometimes resulting in lower lake levels and increased fire danger, according to Cox.
"This year we got quite a bit of rain in spring and early summer, right up to the 4th of July; we had rain — it was a good growing season and became very green," he said. "It becomes a fuel load in the fall. If we don't get rain, the fire threat would come earlier in the season, like in October."
In 2023, the Bartlesville area suffered a massive fire around Memorial Day that swept through parts of Washington County and into Nowata County, straining local first responders.
"We had the extended dry conditions and got some wind and some sparks, and then we were off to the races," he said.
Storm cleanup continues in dangerous heat
The heat is also affecting cleanup from recent storm damage that swept through the area on the 4th of July.
"We know we had 85-plus mile-per-hour winds, and they were sustained," Cox said. "With that amount of wind and a little rain that saturated the ground, and those trees couldn't hang on — and these were big trees, some were 100-plus years old."
Cleanup from the damage continues up to press time.
"It's taken so long to clean up because it's the time of year that it happened and it's hotter than Hades," Cox said. "People couldn't work the number of hours or as hard as they could have had this happened in April or May because it's taken more time to clean up."
He said that if people are working outside, they should be vigilant of the heat and take a few precautions:
"If you have to work outside, take frequent breaks and definitely stay hydrated," Cox said. "You can't drink enough water, and you need electrolytes — you sweat all that out, and you have to recharge.”
He advised people working outside to wear light clothing and stay in as much shade as possible.
"Wear wide-brimmed hats and even long sleeves, as that can help with direct sunlight," Cox said. "Sweating is your natural air conditioning, but you have to replace the moisture."
He also advised checking on neighbors and family who could be working outside.
"Especially those that are elderly because they can be easily affected by hot weather. Little things to help others can mean a lot," he said. "Let's all stay safe."