Search Newsroom

Oklahoma Forestry Services (OFS) announces that Andy James has accepted the position of community wildfire preparedness forester, providing leadership for statewide Community Fire Assistance programs. He will be responsible for the programs and services Oklahoma Forestry Services provides to communities and rural fire departments, including Rural Fire Assistance, Federal Excess Property, grant administration and Firewise programs. He will also be responsible for suppression assistance and will continue to participate in OFS prescribed fire and technical assistance programs.

An Oklahoma State University graduate, with a degree in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources ??" Forestry, James has served in various positions with OFS for 19 years. Past positions include service forester in Wilburton, service and district forester in Jay and, most recently, as the area forester for OFS' Southeast Area headquartered in Broken Bow. In his new position, he will be located in the Goldsby office.

Throughout his forestry career James has focused on wildland fire suppression and management, not only in eastern Oklahoma, but across the state as a task force leader, division supervisor and operations chief for the OFS Interagency Type 2 Incident Management Team. In addition to his duties with OFS, James is a member of a National Type 1 Incident Management Team based out of the Northern Rockies, serving in its Operations Section as a branch director trainee.