CJ-2026-2027 - Winton-Edmunson Farms, LLC v. Greg Rohde

What's This Case About?

Let’s be clear: someone lit a fancy backyard fire pit during a windstorm so extreme it could’ve powered a wind turbine, and instead of just not doing that, they watched it turn into a 6,464-acre wildfire that incinerated their neighbors’ homes, barns, tractors, hay, fencing, timber, and probably someone’s prized collection of cowboy boots (we assume). This isn’t a scene from a climate disaster movie — it’s a real-life Oklahoma court filing, where farmers are suing their neighbors for allegedly turning a Solo Stove into a state-of-emergency.

Meet the Winton-Edmunsons: a tight-knit family operation running Winton-Edmunson Farms, LLC, with roots deep in Oklahoma County soil. They’re not just weekend hobbyists with a few goats and a dream — they own actual ranch land, complete with homes, equipment, livestock infrastructure, and yes, even timber (because apparently in Oklahoma, you don’t just grow corn, you grow assets). On the other side of this suburban-rural divide are Greg and Jennifer Rohde, fellow residents of the Hickory Hills subdivision, living the peaceful country life just down the road. They weren’t planning to go down in local infamy — but thanks to a poorly timed fire pit party, they may have accidentally secured their place in the annals of “people who should’ve checked the weather app.”

Here’s how it all went up in smoke — literally. On March 14, 2025 (note: not 2026, despite a typo in the petition — time travel remains unproven), Oklahoma was experiencing what meteorologists might call “not ideal conditions for open flames.” We’re talking unseasonably strong southwest winds, humidity levels drier than your average Oklahoma summer joke, and fire-weather warnings that probably had every firefighter within 50 miles already sweating bullets. And yet — and yet — the Rohdes decided it was a great day to fire up their Solo Stove. For the uninitiated, a Solo Stove is one of those sleek, Instagram-friendly, smokeless wood-burning fire pits that rich camping influencers love. It’s basically the Tesla of backyard bonfires. But even Teslas can crash — especially when driven into a tornado.

According to the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry (ODAFF), which conducted a full origin-and-cause investigation, the fire started right on the Rohdes’ property at 14108 Hickory Hill Road. Not near it. On it. And not from lightning, not from a meteor strike, not from spontaneous combustion — no, this one had human fingerprints all over it. Jennifer Rohde reportedly tried to put the fire out with water once it got out of hand, but by then, the wind had already taken the embers on a joyride across six thousand acres. The fire, dubbed the “Hickory Hill Road Fire,” burned for days, consumed homes, destroyed personal property, and left the Winton-Edmunsons scrambling to evacuate under life-threatening conditions. Some barely escaped with their lives. Others were out of town and returned to ashes. Their barn? Gone. Tractor? Toast. Fencing? Reduced to twisted metal confetti. Pastureland? A charcoal sketch of what once was. And the timber — oh, the timber — damaged enough that Oklahoma’s special timber damage statute now applies, which, yes, is a thing, and yes, it comes with enhanced penalties because apparently, you do not mess with a farmer’s trees in this state.

So why are we in court? Because the Winton-Edmunsons aren’t just mad — they’re legally mad. Their lawsuit lays out five distinct claims, each one a different legal angle on the same fiery screw-up. First up: Negligence — the classic “you didn’t do the basic thing a reasonable person would’ve done” charge. The argument? The Rohdes should’ve known better than to light a wood fire in extreme wind conditions. Second: Negligence Per Se, which means they didn’t just act carelessly — they broke actual laws. Specifically, Oklahoma statutes 16-25 and 16-26, which say you can’t let a fire escape your property and must take precautions during high-risk weather. Violate those? Boom — automatic negligence, no jury debate needed. Then comes Negligent Injury to Property, because, well, their stuff got burned. Simple as that. Followed by Negligent Injury to Timber, which sounds like a country song but is actually a serious claim under 23 O.S. § 72 — and one that could mean extra damages and even attorney’s fees if proven. Finally, Nuisance, because a fire that destroys homes and forces evacuations isn’t just a tragedy — it’s an unreasonable interference with your neighbor’s right to enjoy their land. And in court terms, that’s a private nuisance — not to be confused with a loud dog or a junk car in the yard, but more like “you turned our lives into a post-apocalyptic survival drill.”

Now, what do the Winton-Edmunsons want? A cool $75,000 — per plaintiff, the filing says, though the total demand listed is $75,000 overall. Either way, that’s not a fortune in wildfire terms (some fire trucks cost more), but for a rural family farm, it’s meaningful. That’s tractor repairs, fence rebuilding, lost hay value, labor costs, emotional distress, and yes — legal fees. And remember, under Oklahoma’s timber laws, they might actually get more than that if the court finds the damage was willful or reckless. The Rohdes, notably, are not represented by attorneys — which either means they’re planning to go full DIY defense or are still in shock that their fire pit became a multi-acre disaster.

Our take? Look, we’ve covered lawsuits over stolen chickens, feuding garden gnomes, and noise complaints about goat yoga. But this one takes the cake — or rather, the ash. The sheer audacity of lighting a wood-burning fire during extreme fire-weather conditions is the kind of “I thought it would be fine” decision that ends in court, tears, and at least one very awkward neighborhood block party cancellation. The most absurd part? Not the Solo Stove — those are fine. Not even the wind — nature’s just doing its thing. It’s the lack of basic risk assessment. You don’t need a degree in meteorology to know that fire + wind = bad news. You just need to have ever watched a campfire flicker in a breeze.

Are we rooting for the farmers? Absolutely. They didn’t ask for war with the elements — they just wanted to run a farm. And are we side-eyeing the Rohdes? Let’s just say if they ever start selling “fire-safe” backyard products, we’ll be checking the fine print. This case is a textbook example of how one moment of poor judgment can ignite far more than just a fire — it can torch relationships, property, and peace of mind. And while we’re not saying the court should make the Rohdes rebuild every fence post by hand, we are saying: maybe invest in a gas fire pit next time. Or better yet — just turn on the TV and call it a night.

Case Overview

$75,000 Demand Jury Trial Petition

Jurisdiction

District Court, Oklahoma

Filing Attorney

Matthew L. Winton, Matt A. Thomas, Hunter S. Carlson

Winton Law

Relief Sought

$75,000 Monetary

Plaintiffs

Winton-Edmunson Farms, LLC business
Rep: Matthew L. Winton, Matt A. Thomas, Hunter S. Carlson
John Edmunson individual
Rep: Matthew L. Winton, Matt A. Thomas, Hunter S. Carlson
Jennifer Edmunson individual
Rep: Matthew L. Winton, Matt A. Thomas, Hunter S. Carlson
Matthew Winton individual
Rep: Matthew L. Winton, Matt A. Thomas, Hunter S. Carlson
Jennifer Winton individual
Rep: Matthew L. Winton, Matt A. Thomas, Hunter S. Carlson

Defendants

Greg Rohde individual
Jennifer Rohde individual

Claims

#	Cause of Action	Description
1	Negligence	Defendants' negligence caused a fire that damaged plaintiffs' property.
2	Negligence Per Se	Defendants violated Oklahoma statutes governing fire prevention and control.
3	Negligent Injury to Property	Defendants' negligence caused damage to plaintiffs' property.
4	Negligent Injury to Timber	Defendants' negligence caused damage to plaintiffs' timber and natural growth.
5	Nuisance	Defendants' conduct created a private nuisance that damaged plaintiffs' property.

Petition Text

1,256 words

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF OKLAHOMA COUNTY STATE OF OKLAHOMA WINTON-EDMUNSON FARMS, LLC, An Oklahoma limited liability company; JOHN EDMUNSON; JENNIFER EDMUNSON; MATTHEW WINTON; JENNIFER WINTON; Plaintiffs, v. GREG ROHDE; JENNIFER ROHDE; Defendants. PETITION COMES NOW the Plaintiffs, Winton-Edmunson Farms, LLC, John Edmunson and Jennifer Edmunson, and Matthew Winton and Jennifer Winton (collectively, "Plaintiffs"), and for their claims against Defendants Greg Rohde and Jennifer Rohde (collectively, "Defendants"), allege and state as follows: PARTIES 1. Plaintiff Winton-Edmunson Farms, LLC is an Oklahoma limited liability company, having Matthew Winton as manager, owning and operating agricultural and ranch real property and personal property in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, which were damaged by the fire described herein. 2. Plaintiffs John Edmunson and Jennifer Edmunson are residents of Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, and owners of real and personal property damaged by the fire described herein. 3. Plaintiffs Matthew Winton and Jennifer Winton are residents of Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, and owners of real and personal property damaged by the fire described herein. 4. Defendant Greg Rohde is a resident of Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, and at all relevant times owned and occupied real property located at 14108 Hickory Hill Road, Arcadia, Oklahoma 73007. 5. Defendant Jennifer Rohde is a resident of Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, and at all relevant times owned and occupied the same property with Defendant Greg Rohde. JURISDICTION AND VENUE 6. This Court has subject-matter jurisdiction and venue is proper in Oklahoma County pursuant to 12 O.S. § 131. FACTS 7. On March 14, 2025, a fire commonly referred to as the "Hickory Hill Road Fire" ignited in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, within the subdivision known as Hickory Hills. 8. The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry ("ODAFF") conducted an Origin and Cause Investigation (Investigation No. 2025-0053) and determined the fire originated on Defendants' property at or near 14108 Hickory Hill Road, Arcadia, Oklahoma. 9. ODAFF determined the fire consumed residences and personal property, burned approximately 6,464 acres, and was not contained for several days. 10. Defendants admissions to ODAFF investigators confirmed the investigators' opinion that the Hickory Hills Road Fire originated on the Defendants' property as a result of a fire started by the Defendants. 11. During the days preceding March 14, 2025, the Defendants knew or should have known that unseasonably strong southwest winds and extremely low humidity created extreme fire-weather conditions. 12. On March 14, 2026, Defendants' Solo Stove started a fire Defendant Jennifer Rohde attempted to extinguish with water, was unable to extinguish, and evacuated within minutes as the fire rapidly grew in size and scope. 13. Defendants' home and contents were thankfully not burned to the ground. 14. ODAFF investigators observed evidence consistent with Defendants' admissions as to the source and cause of the fire. 15. ODAFF concluded the fire was not the result of lightning or other natural causes. 16. The fire caused by the Defendants destroyed Plaintiffs' residences and improvements, including contents, located at 24800 Oak Bend Drive and 24899 Oak Bend Drive, as well as Plaintiffs' barn, tractor, trailers, stored hay, ranch and farm tools and equipment, fencing, cross-fencing, pasture, and timber. 17. Some Plaintiffs were forced to evacuate under emergency conditions while the fire approached and overtook their property, reasonably fearing for their lives and safety. Other Plaintiffs were out of town an unable to save any contents from the fire. 18. The fire destroyed Plaintiff's cross-fencing and required months of labor and expense to recover, contain, and manage livestock and restore ranch operations after the fire. 19. Defendants failed to exercise reasonable care in the placement, maintenance, extinguishment, and securing of an outdoor wood-burning stove and related combustible materials during extreme wind and fire-weather conditions, and failed to prevent the escape of fire from their property. CAUSES OF ACTION COUNT 1 – NEGLIGENCE 20. Plaintiffs incorporate by reference Paragraphs 1 through 19 as if fully set forth herein. 21. Defendants owed Plaintiffs a duty to exercise ordinary care to prevent the escape of fire and burning materials from Defendants’ property. 22. Defendants breached that duty by, among other things, failing to properly place, secure, supervise, and/or extinguish a Solo Stove and live fire debris; failing to secure combustible rugs/furnishings near the edge of an elevated porch; and failing to take reasonable precautions in light of known extreme wind and fire-weather conditions. 23. Defendants’ negligence was the direct and proximate cause of Plaintiffs’ damages. COUNT 2 – NEGLIGENCE PER SE 24. Plaintiffs incorporate by reference Paragraphs 1 through 23. 25. Defendants violated Oklahoma statutes governing the prevention and control of fire and the duty to prevent fire from escaping to adjoining lands, including 2 O.S. § 16-25 and 16-26, 28.1. 26. Defendants’ statutory violations constitute negligence per se. 27. Plaintiffs are within the class of persons intended to be protected by these statutes, and the damages suffered are of the type those statutes were designed to prevent. 28. Defendants’ statutory violations were a direct and proximate cause of Plaintiffs’ damages. COUNT 3 – NEGLIGENT INJURY TO PROPERTY 29. Plaintiffs incorporate by reference Paragraphs 1 through 28. 30. Defendants negligently caused fire and burning materials to escape their property, resulting in the destruction of Plaintiffs’ real and personal property. 31. Plaintiffs are entitled to recover damages pursuant to Oklahoma law for negligent injury to property, including 23 O.S. §§ 3 and 61, and related authority. COUNT 4 – NEGLIGENT INJURY TO TIMBER 32. Plaintiffs incorporate by reference Paragraphs 1 through 31. 33. The fire negligently set and/or allowed to escape by Defendants damaged and destroyed standing timber, pasture, and natural growth on Plaintiffs’ property. 34. Defendants are liable for damages under Oklahoma law governing wrongful injury to timber, including 23 O.S. § 72, which provides enhanced damages and permits recovery of costs and attorney fees for wrongful injuries to timber, as allowed by law. COUNT 5 – NUISANCE 35. Plaintiffs incorporate by reference Paragraphs 1 through 34. 36. Defendants’ conduct and the escape of the fire from Defendants’ property unreasonably interfered with Plaintiffs’ use and enjoyment of their property. 37. The fire caused by the Defendants constitutes a private nuisance under 50 O.S. §§ 1–5. 38. Defendants are liable for all damages proximately caused by the nuisance created by them. 39. Wherefore, as a direct and proximate result of Defendants’ acts and omissions and violations of Oklahoma law, each Plaintiff has suffered damages including, but not limited to: 39.1. Damage and destruction of Plaintiffs’ homes and ancillary buildings and structures; 39.2. Damage and destruction of Plaintiffs’ barns and agricultural buildings, fencing and cross-fencing, equipment, tools, trailers, and stored hay; 39.3. Damage to Plaintiffs’ pasture, timber, and land; 39.4. Economic losses relative to Defendants’ nuisance and Plaintiffs’ loss of use and enjoyment of property; 39.5. Attorney’s fees and costs. 40. Each Plaintiff seeks damages for the foregoing in excess of Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00), exclusive of interest, attorney’s fees, and costs. Respectfully submitted, By: Matthew L. Winton, OBA No. 18879 [email protected] Matt A. Thomas, OBA No. 32277 [email protected] Hunter S. Carlson, OBA No. 36070 [email protected] 3233 E. Memorial Road, Suite 103 Edmond, Oklahoma 73013 405-478-4818 O / 888.857.0360 F ATTORNEYS FOR THE PLAINTIFFS VERIFICATION I, Matthew Winton, individually and as manager for Winton-Edmunson Farms, LLC, Plaintiffs herein, hereby state under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Oklahoma that the foregoing is true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief. Matthew Winton VERIFICATION I, Jennifer Winton, Plaintiff herein, hereby state under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Oklahoma that the foregoing is true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief. VERIFICATION I, John Edmunson, Plaintiff herein, hereby state under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Oklahoma that the foregoing is true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief. John Edmunson VERIFICATION I, Jennifer Edmunson, Plaintiff herein, hereby state under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Oklahoma that the foregoing is true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief. Jennifer Edmunson