Wildfires devastate Western states

The hot, dry weather conditions, afternoon lightning and thunderstorms and blustery winds of late-August have created a perfect storm of destruction – raging wildfires consuming everything in their path and leaving a wake of black ash in their place. 

As of Aug. 28, four large wildfires have scorched almost one million acres in Northern Wyoming and Southeastern Montana, while flames also wreak havoc in the neighboring state of Idaho.

House Draw Fire

Ignited on Aug. 21 nine miles southeast of Buffalo, the House Draw Fire burned 174,683 total acres and was 94 percent contained, as of Aug. 28. 

With fire activity slowing mid-week, the 670-man force, comprised of 10 crews, five helicopters, 44 engines, nine bulldozers and four water tenders, focused on identifying and mapping suppression repair needs.  

According to InciWeb, the House Draw Fire was started by a bolt of lightning. As it quickly grew and changed direction, sheep ranchers in the area scrambled to save their flocks.

Buffalo Rancher Victor Goni tells Cowboy State Daily he and other area producers did what they could to gather up a few thousand head on motorcycles and four-wheelers with the help of dogs. They opened gates, cut fences and pushed the animals up Reno Hill to the west side of the Buffalo Sussex.  

Wile the death toll of animals remains unknown, the devastation to acres of grassland is apparent and will leave a lasting effect, as producers scramble to find a way to feed surviving livestock through coming winter months.

Remington Fire

Roughly 37 miles away, 14 miles northeast of Leiter, another lightning strike sparked the largest fire currently burning in Wyoming. 

Deemed the Remington Fire, this blaze burned through four counties  – Sheridan and Big Horn counties in Wyoming and the Powder River and Rosebud counties of Montana – and over 40 miles, eating up a total of 196,387 acres as of Aug. 27. 

As of Aug. 28, the Remington Fire was 50 percent contained, and 215 personnel were patrolling and mopping up, while conducting suppression repair assessments. 

Although the fire has proved difficult to wrangle, Rosebud County Disaster and Emergency Services Coordinator Pat Dennis tells Northern Ag Network recent efforts have been successful. 

“We got it kind of contained on the Tongue River side. They did a lot of burnout operations along the Tongue River Road from Birney, Mont. to Ashland, Mont. which really helped. It was a successful burnout as far as I know, nothing slopped out and started any more fires,” Dennis says. “They’re trying to contain to those areas from Odell Creek to Otter Creek and back to Tongue River. If they can contain it to the areas still burning pretty hot, then we’ll be pretty lucky.”

Fortunately, recent rains and cool weather have aided crews’ containment efforts on the Remington Fire. 

Like the House Draw Fire, the Remington Fire has also victimized local ranchers, destroying livestock, hay and infrastructure. 

Dennis tells Northern Ag Network, “It came on so fast even the cattle and horses didn’t have time to get out of the pastures. They just died right there. Some of the ranchers lost all of their hay and a lot of cattle. They don’t even know the full extent yet until they can get out there, but it burned up all of the fences too. It’s going to be mass confusion for a while.”

In addition to those lost to the flames, ranchers have also had to euthanize badly burned surviving livestock, scrape up labor costs to help replace fence that was destroyed and salvage enough hay to feed the animals they have left. 

Flat Rock and Constitution fires

Sheridan County’s neighbor to the east is also battling devastating wildfire activity. The Flat Rock Fire and Constitution Fire, both burning 11 miles northwest of Gillette, have consumed 52,421 acres and 24,594 acres, respectively.

As of Aug. 28, the Flat Rock Fire was 54 percent contained, and although crews caught a new fire the day before at eight-tenths of an acre, infrared technology was used to identify hotspots on the eastern side of the fire and secure the perimeter, according to InciWeb.

The website further notes the Constitution Fire was 50 percent contained on Aug. 28, with crews gaining containment the previous day along the fire perimeter. 

According to the Southwest Area Incident Management Team, crews have continued to secure the edge of the Constitution Fire, extinguishing hotspots and engaging in suppression repair.

Idaho wildfires

Wyoming’s westernmost neighbor Idaho has felt the recent devastation of wildfires as well. 

In Idaho, the Wapiti Fire in Custer County increased nearly ninefold in the span of a week, from 9,000 acres to 79,745 acres as of Aug. 28, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise, Idaho. 

The NIFC reported more than 800 personnel are battling the blaze, but as of Aug. 28, the Wapiti Fire was zero percent contained. 

This fire was also started by lightning late in the evening of July 24 about two miles southwest of Grandjean, Idaho. It is currently burning through the Boise and Sawtooth national forests, and the steep terrain, difficult access and unfavorable weather conditions in the area have made containment a challenge for firefighters.

Evacuations, forest closures, road closures, fire restrictions and temporary flight restrictions are in place. 

Roughly 25 other fires are also eating their way through the Gem State, including the Limepoint Fire at 32,636 acres, the Wye Fire at 7,341 acres, the Grouse Fire at 4,200 acres and the Big Hollow Fire at 3,435 acres, to name a few.

Multiple resources available to help those affected by fire

Nobody rallies together more than a community left in the wake of devastation, and efforts have popped up all over the state to help those in need. 

Community support

The Wyoming Rancher Fire Relief Facebook Group has put together an online, silent auction, in which proceeds will go toward hay, hauling and fencing supplies for ranchers affected by the flames, as well as supplies needed for those currently fighting fires. 

Auction items can be viewed and bid on on Facebook. Monetary donations can also be sent to Wyoming Rancher Fire Relief, Converse County Bank, Drawer 689, Douglas, WY, 82633 or via Venmo to @Wyrancherfirerelief with “Fire Donation” written in the memo section.

With the help of the Big Horn Equestrian Center (BHEC), MTR Ranch Supply and other gracious donors, the Northeast Wyoming and Southern Montana Wildfire Fencing Relief Facebook Group has also set up a relief fund to aid ranchers with fencing costs. 

Checks can be made out to BHEC and mailed to Wildfire Fencing Relief, PO Box 427, Buffalo, WY 82834. 

On Aug. 28, Stockman Bank established a $10,000 matching donation for the Remington Fire Relief Fund, which will be used to provide assistance to those impacted by fires in Big Horn County, Sheridan County and Montana’s Rosebud and Powder River counties. 

Donations to the account will be administered and distributed by the Rosebud County Cattlewomen and the Rosebud County Foundation and can be mailed to Stockman Bank, c/o The Remington Fire Relief Fund, PO Box 250, Miles City, MT 59301-0250.

On Sept. 8, the community of Kaycee will host Rope for Hope at the Harold Jarrard Park, beginning at 8 a.m. All proceeds from the event will be used to help area ranchers impacted by fires to purchase fencing supplies. 

Buffalo Livestock Marketing has opened its yards for ranchers to bring livestock with feed and water available. They also have cattle pots and horse trailers lined up for those who need help moving livestock and are willing to help locate hay for producers in need. 

They can be reached at 307-290-2161, 307-290-2273 or 605-881-1526.

MG Trucking, LLC of Casper has also offered to donate time and services to move hay and supplies for affected ranchers. They can be contacted at 307-797-4074.

Government assistance

Additionally, several government assistance programs have been announced over the past few weeks to help with loss due to wildfire. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers multiple programs, including the Livestock Indemnity Program for producers who experience livestock death in excess of normal mortality; the Emergency Assistance of Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program which provides eligible producers with compensation for feed and grazing losses, transportation of feed to livestock and hauling livestock and the Farm Storage Facility Loan Program which provides low-interest financing for producers to build, repair, replace or upgrade facilities to store commodities, as well as a variety of farm and emergency loans.

Each state’s respective stockgrowers’ organizations have also put together aid for local ranchers.

The Wyoming Stock Growers Endowment Trust has established a Wildfire Relief Fund to help Wyoming producers impacted by the fire. Donations can be made with a credit card by calling 307-638-3942 or online at wysga.org. Checks payable to WSGA Endowment Trust can also be mailed to PO Box 206, Cheyenne, WY 82003.

The Montana Stockgrowers Foundation is accepting donations to benefit livestock producers in Montana, specifically those affected by the Remington Fire. Donations can be mailed to MT Stockgrowers Foundation, Attn: Wildfire Relief Fund, 420 N. California, Helena, MT 59601.

The Idaho Cattle Association is accepting donations for beef producers affected by fires in Idaho, which can be submitted online at idahocattle.org or by calling 208-343-1615. 

Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.