Two Colorado wolves wandering close to Wyoming border, where killing them is legal
Reply
Texas Panhandle wildfires leave “dead animals everywhere” as agricultural commissioner predicts 10,000 dead cattle
By Li Cohen
Updated on: March 1, 2024 / 1:43 PM EST / CBS News
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-panhandle-wildfires-leave-dead-animals-everywhere/?fbclid=IwAR0BKUqdTGtDFo5XwuR4BxJbdfod3WOq3pLl7iG4EpMC_r4zwPhXfYMXTks
The historic wildfires ravaging the Texas Panhandle aren’t just destroying homes. Officials say the fires are devastating the agricultural community – a vital component of the state – and leaving “dead animals everywhere” as farms and ranches take massive losses.
Texas Rep. Ronny Jackson of the state’s 13th District said in a video update on Wednesday that after viewing the impact of the fires from a helicopter across several counties, “the damage is much worse than what is being reported.”
Since Wednesday, the most prominent of the active fires, the Smokehouse Creek Fire, has merged with another blaze and is now the largest wildfire in the state’s history and believed to be the second-largest wildfire in U.S. history. It’s so far burned nearly 1.1 million acres, and weather conditions in the days ahead could help fan the flames even further.
“There are literally hundreds of structures burned to the ground – houses, barns,” Jackson said in the video posted to social media. “There are dead animals everywhere – cattle, horses. Unfortunately, there are many animals that are seriously burned, that aren’t dead yet, that will have to be put down.”
Texas Agricultural Commissioner Sid Miller said on Thursday that it’s believed thousands of animals have died. He said in a press release on Wednesday that many grain and seed operations have also “reported total losses.”
“Just my prediction, but it will be 10,000 that will have died or we’ll have to euthanize,” he said, according to CBS News partner BBC. “…A lot of those cattle are still alive but the hooves are burned off, the teats are burned off, their udders are burned off. It’s just a sad situation.”
Massive wildfires burning in the Texas Panhandle sent cattle fleeing from the smoke. https://t.co/5PrXIHBO85 pic.twitter.com/RP62inDfKO— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 28, 2024
Miller said in Wednesday’s statement that more than 85% of the state’s cattle population is in the Panhandle.
“There are millions of cattle out there, with some towns comprising more cattle than people,” Miller said. “The losses could be catastrophic for those counties. Farmers and ranchers are losing everything.”
Photos show undetermined numbers of dead cattle along charred lands.
In an emotional video posted on Thursday, Morgan Broome of the disaster relief group Rancher Navy said many of the cattle in the Panhandle “have been lost.” Among other donations, the group is looking for heavy equipment to help bury the deceased livestock.
“We don’t have accurate numbers, but we’re hearing reports of thousands of cattle and horses dead,” she said through tears. “And because of that, the hay needs are less than what we anticipated them to be. … This is emotional for all of us.”
And it’s not just farm animals. Many locals have lost their pets in the fires.
“I lost two dogs and two cats,” Richard Murray, who lives near the town of Canadian, told the Associated Press. “It’s still emotional. This is our life. I mean, we’ve been here for 50 years.”
The toll has been devastating, but many Texans, especially those in the agricultural community, have been rallying to help each other, offering their time, land, labor and supplies.
One woman, Marni Prater, wrote on Facebook that she is treating livestock in the towns of Stinnett and Fritch with a nebulizer, for free, and has also offered up medical supplies for livestock.
Prater told CBS News she purchased the treatment about two years ago for a horse that was struggling with allergies.
“I was in contact with my vet after the fires as 5 of our horses had to be left behind and the fire line came right up to our property in both sides and they were in smoke and active fire for hours on Tuesday night,” she told CBS News in a message. She said her horses “seem to be doing great” and will be checked out by veterinarians over the weekend.
The vet said she could use the albuterol on other animals who had inhaled wildfire smoke, and Prater was able to secure more albuterol donations and is now working to help others in her community.
One of those animals is a 2-week-old goat whose mom died in the fires and whose owner “lost everything they had,” Prater said.
“[They] couldn’t care for her any longer and asked us to help take her in so she had a chance to survive,” Prater said, adding the goat is doing “much better.”
“We have been doing breathing treatments 3 times a day and she immediately perked up and yesterday she finally started eating well,” Prater said. “I’ve been bringing her to work with me and everywhere I go so I can make sure we stay on top of her care.”
Warmest winter on record? Winter weather never really arrived in parts of the USA.
Flathead Indian Reservation Seeks Public Input on 2024-2025 Bird Hunting Regulations
The Flathead Indian Reservation Advisory Board calls for public comments on 2024-2025 hunting seasons, aiming for a balanced approach to wildlife management and conservation.
/bnn/media/member_avatars/BNN-Final-Twitter.png)
01 Mar 2024 14:29 EST
/bnn/media/media_files/41f6e9e67d893c4d42cc30dec03045a91641ad545e2e8da4cb876560795f3423.jpg)
The Flathead Indian Reservation Advisory Board has initiated a public commenting period for the draft 2024-2025 hunting seasons, shooting hours, and limits concerning migratory waterfowl, pheasants, and gray partridge for non-member hunters. This move invites hunters and conservationists alike to participate in the wildlife management process, ensuring a balanced approach to hunting and conservation on tribal lands.
Seeking Public Engagement
With the intention of fostering greater community involvement in wildlife management, the Tribal Wildlife Program Manager, Kari Kingery, has made the draft regulations available for public review. Individuals interested in contributing their perspectives on the proposed hunting seasons, shooting hours, and limits can obtain a copy of the draft regulations by reaching out directly to Kingery. This proactive approach emphasizes the importance of public opinion in shaping wildlife management policies on the Reservation.
How to Submit Comments
Comments on the draft regulations are being accepted through various channels until Sunday, March 31. Stakeholders can express their views by sending their feedback directly to the CSKT Wildlife Management Program via mail or email. Additionally, a public meeting is scheduled to take place in Polson, Montana, allowing for face-to-face discussions and further inputs on the proposed regulations. This inclusive strategy aims to gather a wide range of opinions and suggestions, ultimately contributing to more comprehensive and effective wildlife management practices.
Impact on Conservation and Hunting Communities
The draft 2024-2025 hunting seasons, shooting hours, and limits are set against the backdrop of preserving biodiversity while accommodating the interests of the hunting community. By engaging the public in these discussions, the Flathead Indian Reservation Advisory Board seeks to strike a balance between conservation efforts and hunting activities. This collaborative approach not only ensures the sustainable management of wildlife resources but also reflects the community’s values and priorities.
The public’s active participation in the commenting process represents a pivotal step towards achieving a consensus on hunting regulations that are both ecologically responsible and culturally sensitive. As the deadline for comments approaches, stakeholders are encouraged to contribute their insights, helping to shape a future where wildlife conservation and hunting traditions coexist harmoniously on the Flathead Indian Reservation.
Montana Authorities Are Investigating a Suspected Wolf Poaching Near Yellowstone
Putin Issues Another WWIII Warning
Raccoon bounty
Manlius battles DEC’s mandate: Sterilize swans or swap for native species
‘It’ll take years’: Panhandle residents contemplate rebuilding their lives after the fires
‘It’ll take years’: Panhandle residents contemplate rebuilding their lives after the fires
KERA | By Rachel Osier Lindley
Published March 1, 2024 at 4:29 PM CST
“We found several cattle that were burned severely, but they weren’t dead yet,” she said. “It was, it was just gruesome. That’s probably been the toughest, darkest moments we’ve had. We had to shoot a bunch of cattle yesterday.”
As of Thursday, the full herd hadn’t been accounted for.
“My husband and my two boys are out on the ranch trying to still find live cattle and pen the ones that we find. And everyone else is working on what to do with the ones that have passed away,” she said.
LISTEN • 2:59
As the wildfires in the Texas Panhandle continue leaving scorched homes, barns and livestock in their wake, some residents are beginning to glimpse what recovery will look like when the blazes are finally extinguished.
Tatum Pennington and her husband live in hard-hit Hemphill County. Their ranch, located outside the town of Canadian, is usually home to between 250 and 300 head of cattle.
“Right now, we would be at the height of calving season. So we’ve had a lot of babies and mamas that have passed away,” she said.
When the Smokehouse Creek fire, the largest of the blazes, got close to her house on Tuesday, Pennington evacuated the area with her children and dogs.
Since returning, she has been cleaning up — and seeing an outpouring of community support.
“I’ve had so many people come out,” Pennington said. “The basketball and football boys and their coaches came out and helped chop down trees, clean up … haul burnt, destroyed stuff out of our yard.”
Her family was without power until volunteers from her church brought by a generator on Thursday morning. As the machine rattled on outside, she surveyed the burnt landscape and described the devastation the fire caused to her family’s ranch.
“We found several cattle that were burned severely, but they weren’t dead yet,” she said. “It was, it was just gruesome. That’s probably been the toughest, darkest moments we’ve had. We had to shoot a bunch of cattle yesterday.”
As of Thursday, the full herd hadn’t been accounted for.
“My husband and my two boys are out on the ranch trying to still find live cattle and pen the ones that we find. And everyone else is working on what to do with the ones that have passed away,” she said.
State authorities said a full assessment of the destruction can be completed after the fires die down. But it’s unclear when that will be. Dry and windy weather is expected to return this weekend after a brief period of cooler temperatures and rain and snow blanketed the area.
“Probably tens of thousands of cattle [are] lost, that’ll be just personal estimate,” Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller told The Texas Newsroom Thursday. “We know that over 50 structures [have been lost]. Hundreds and hundreds of miles of fencing is going to have to be replaced.”
Two people have died in the fire, and Andy Holloway, the Hemphill County agent for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, told the Texas Standard Thursday that 10,000 cattle may have perished in Hemphill County alone.
Heather Helms, who drove from Oklahoma to Canadian to be with her family, got an up-close look at the damage along the way.
“It was heartbreaking. It was very heartbreaking to see,” she said. “I mean, you just don’t even realize that in a split of a second it can all be gone.”
Right now, Helms is focused on her father, who helped some of his neighbors evacuate after authorities told residents to flee their homes.
“I’m just waiting for my dad to get out of the hospital because he [inhaled] too much smoke so they’re keeping him for another day,” she said.
As of Friday morning, the Smokehouse Creek has consumed more than 1,078,000 acres and was only 15% contained, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. A separate blaze, the Windy Deuce in nearby Moore County, had covered 142,000 acres and was 60% contained.
Cooler temperatures and wetter conditions provided some help to firefighters Thursday. But the dry weather that helped fuel the fires earlier this week is forecast to return this weekend.
“As we go into the weekend, we are expecting to see higher winds, warmer temperatures again and lower humidity, which is kind of a recipe for fire spread,” Adam Turner, a public information officer with the Texas A&M Forest Service, said. “If any fires do start, with really high winds, you have a chance for pretty rapid spread.”
Regardless of when the smoke clears, the Penningtons said they aren’t going to let Mother Nature destroy their way of life.
“Wedust off and we just start building back, one step at a time. We take one problem at a time and find a solution and move on to the next,” she said. “It’ll take years. But that’s what we’ll do because that’s what Texans do. I mean, we don’t give up and we don’t lay down and feel sorry for ourselves. We just dust off and get right back after it.”
After all, the home on her family’s ranch has been in the path of at least three fires before.
“Two tornadoes, too,” she added. “And we’re still here.”
The Texas Newsroom’s Julian Aguilar contributed reporting from El Paso.
Exposing the Big Game 