The Casual Cattle Conversations Podcast: Wildfire Mitigation Plans for Ranchers

Wildfire Mitigation Plans for Ranchers

Wildfires can’t always be avoided but ranchers can take steps to mitigate their individual risk and protect their forage resources, livestock and ranch.

“It can take a huge toll on ranchers when they are hit by catastrophic wildfires,” explains Josh Gaskamp.

Gaskamp grew up in central Texas and has been with the Noble Research Institute for nearly 20 years. Currently serving as associate director of outreach and partnerships, his background is in wildlife and range ecology, and he also manages his own ranch.

He says, “In the ranching business, we're in the business of managing or allocating inventory across our operation. And when we say inventory, I mean the forage.”

Forage availability is the primary hit ranchers take from wildfires, depending on the time of year. Spring wildfires are less problematic because forage and feed sources often have time to grow back. Fall and winter fires leave ranchers searching for feed resources and acres to graze.

“If the rancher has to go in and now offset that loss of forage on their ranch with some purchased feed… the demand for those purchased feeds at least locally … goes up as those catastrophic events happen, especially if they're large wildfires,” explains Gaskamp.

Other negative impacts of fires can be shifts in feed and land prices brought on by increased demand, and that doesn’t even touch on the emotional toll of a natural disaster.

The good news is that having wildfire prevention and occurrence plans greatly reduces risk and stress for ranchers.

He says, “Having that plan takes a lot of that anxiety out of the decision that ranchers have to make.”

Wildfire mitigation starts with grazing plans, specifically, thatch control.....



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