WAGONER COUNTY, Okla. — Wagoner County authorities are sending a message: when there is a countywide burn ban, there is zero tolerance for violations.
Typically, residents will get a verbal warning. Occasionally, a ticket is issued.
WATCH: BODY CAM FOOTAGE: How a burn ban violation leads to an arrest in Wagoner County
During a recent incident, officials say the homeowner simply refused to cooperate.
The body camera footage obtained by 2 News shows the deputy arrive to a home after Whitehorn Cove Volunteer firefighters had already extinguished a fire pit earlier in the evening.
“I said, hey, we are under a burn ban, I need you to put the fire out,” you can hear Fire Chief Onie Welsh explain to the deputy how she had approached the situation with the homeowner.
Welsh told 2 News the second time they arrived, the homeowner, Peter Dalbrun, ignored them and told firefighters to get off his property.
“In nine years, I have never seen a scene combative like that,” she said.
We reviewed the footage. From the start, Dalbrun repeatedly debates or argues with the deputy. He does not want to show identification; he debates the legality of being forced into the patrol car; and claims he did not know the people on his property were firefighters.
The footage shows multiple engines with flashing lights on.
Dalbrun also argues that he did not know the county was under a burn ban, despite this being the second call to his home that evening. He repeatedly tells the deputy he did not get a letter in the mail about it.
“No one has to give documentation, that’s not a thing,” said the deputy. “It was in the paper, it was on the news. It was on the forestry website, and you were told earlier today.”
At one point, Dalbrun even seemed to argue semantics.
“She never said to me, ‘I need to put this fire out, it’s a burn ban,’” said Dalbrun. “She came up to me and said, ‘it’s a burn ban, and you need to put this fire out.’”
He was charged with Emergency Drought Conditions / Extreme Fire Danger & Burning Prohibitions, Interfering with Firefighters in the Performance of Duties, and Obstructing an Officer. His bond was set at $10,000, and he was released after posting bail.
“It’s a burn ban. It could potentially cause a problem for the rest of the community,” Welsh said.
2 News tried to contact Dalbrun by phone and at home for further comment, but was unable to reach him.
This was one of two burn ban violation arrests in Wagoner County since it was put in place. It has since been lifted, but firefighters ask everyone to continue using extreme caution during the dry conditions.
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