Several devastating fires are currently raging in the western U.S.—and hot and dry weather will only exacerbate wildfire danger through the weekend.
A multitude of wildfires rolled its way across the High Plains in early March and destroyed acres, homes, livestock and took the lives of countless livestock and people. The Texas Panhandle was an area hit hard by the wildfire.
Ranchers in Kansas and Oklahoma learned more about how grasslands recover after wildfire in a joint educational seminar hosted by Extension personnel from Kansas State University and Oklahoma State University, at Snake Creek Ranch, on the state border. According to Extension sources, plentiful precipitation will be the greatest help in getting grass regrowing.
Deep snow is melting into western mountain streams, but some farmers and ranchers on the high plains are struggling amid a lengthy dry spell and the aftermath of destructive wildfires.
The ag community rallied around those impacted by the devastating March wildfires, but rebuilding will take years—and significant financial support. That’s why Farm Journal is proud to announce the Million Dollar Wildfire Relief Challenge, launching today, which enables you to help ranching families rebuild by doubling your donation.
Rusty and Jennifer Colten live and ranch in Harper County, Ok. Jennifer’s great grandparents homesteaded in the Oklahoma panhandle and the land has been with the family ever since.
While the wildfires in the southern Plains claimed many livestock and wild animals, there were also human lives lost trying to save the animals they cared for greatly.
Colorado is dealing with the brittle conditions after a wildfire hit the northeast corner of the state, burning more than 32,000 acres in a time frame of eight hours earlier this month.
Thousands of cattle were lost to the southern Plains wildfires. Some were overcome by the flames and smoke trying to escape the blaze. Others had to be put down because of severe injuries.
The epicenter of the Kansas fire was in Clark County, where roughly 50 percent of the land was burned. It’s considered cattle country and is home to one of the most recognizable Angus breeders in the country, the Gardiner Ranch.
Ranchers and veterinarians will continue to determine the damage and clean up the mess for months to come after the wildfires that engulfed farms and ranches earlier this month. A young 4-H group in Meade County, Kan. is helping in their own unique way.
Veterinarians and livestock producers are assessing more than antibiotic use in southwest Kansas where a blaze swept through the high plains earlier this month.
While thousands of cattle died in last week’s wildfires in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, those also hit hard by fire are the surviving beef cattle.
Texas ranchers are facing at least $21 million in agricultural damages from wildfires that blackened more than 750 square miles in the Texas Panhandle last week.
The wildfires in Kansas may be extinguished, but the need for help is far from over. Ranch families say the community needs assistance now more than ever.
Winds are expected to slow down Wednesday, but weather conditions are still not ideal for emergency crews battling wildfires in four states that have killed six people and destroyed hundreds of square miles of land.
Emergency crews on Tuesday struggled to contain deadly wildfires that have scorched hundreds of square miles of land in four states and forced thousands of people to flee their homes ahead of the wind-whipped flames.
