Wednesday, February 18, 2026 • Sunny and highs nearing the mid-70s. ☀️

🚨 Critical, elevated fire risk across parts of Oklahoma again today.

By Graycen Wheeler, KOSU
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As Oklahoma heads into its wildfire season, state lawmakers are considering a measure that would make it easier for counties to issue burn bans.

When wildfires devastated parts of Oklahoma last March, only one county was under a burn ban, despite historic fire weather. That lone ban may not have been enforceable, because it didn’t meet all the requirements in existing Oklahoma law.

Now, Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, is proposing a bill that would give county commissioners more leeway to issue bans.

👉 Click here for the full story.

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A hand-curated list of the best journalism from across the state:

• Live Updates: High wind speeds increase Oklahoma wildfire danger (News 9)

• IKEA’s first Oklahoma store is coming to Tulsa. Here’s what it means for the city. (The Oklahoma Eagle)

• Communities fight ICE detention centers, but have few tools to stop them (Oklahoma Voice)

• More than 30 Oklahoma agencies sign immigration enforcement agreements (Oklahoma Watch)

• Cherokee chief gives Congressional testimony in defense of SBA 8(a) program (Cherokee Phoenix)

• Oklahoma bill would make it easier to prosecute fentanyl overdose deaths (The Frontier)

• Seeking property tax reform, Senate leader pans ‘immature’ elimination proposal (NonDoc)

• Oklahoma lawmakers eye ‘guardrails’ for use of AI-generated media (Oklahoma Voice)

• Public comment session on Claremore data center (Tulsa World)*

• Bill targets human trafficking in strip clubs through new requirement (Tulsa World)*

• Cold case homicides from 2021 and 2003 see suspects booked (Oklahoma City Free Press)

• Multiple children rescued from Lawton house fire (KSWO)

• John Mulaney adds OKC show to 'Mister Whatever' tour: See details, tickets (The Oklahoman)*

Bedlam baseball delivered the early-season yardstick both programs needed in Arlington, where Oklahoma looked crisp and dominant behind SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week LJ Mercurius and freshman standout Cord Rager, outscoring Texas Tech (10-3), Oklahoma State (10-1) and TCU (12-2), while the Cowboys rebounded from that loss to “smoke” ranked Vanderbilt behind a power surge from Kollin Ritchie.

We touch a lot of OU-OSU sports topics in this week’s edition of Bedlam Buds.

Watch the video above, and subscribe to the Oklahoma Memo YouTube channel.

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