WA fires -- Sorta like "Heifers for S.D." program

[Kathie in Thorp]

Some folks have commented, and some have sent me messages, wondering what they could do for the ranchers that lost cattle in the still-burning Carlton Complex Fires up around Okanogan/the Methow Valley in Washington. Washington Cattlemen's Assoc., in their most recent Ketch Pen publication, have two suggestions: (1) Donations of either a bred heifer/cow or $$ to go towards a bred heifer. The number of cattle lost will not approach the number from the South Dakota storm last year, but it's going to be well over a thousand head. WCA is aiming to replace at least 40 head with their program (and I don't know that they even have a name for that program yet.) (2) Donations of fencing materials or $$. Lotza ground will have to be re-fenced. Dave, thank you for already stepping up on this one.

To contact WCA, you can send via pony express to WCA, P.O. Box 96, Ellensburg, WA 98926. Email is [email protected]
WCA Phone: (509) 925-9871

 

[Dave]

The executive VP for the Washington Cattlemen's Assoc. was over here yesterday so I looked him up. We had an interesting talk. He said the word from the Methow Valley was that things are sort of under control and people were busy inventorying the damage and riding the hills looking for cattle. They are looking to start repairing things in early October. I told him that with my schedule I was looking at late September before I can put things together.
Part of the conversation I told him about some calves from that area that sold on Superior last week. I was surprised that they hadn't scratched them. He said that guy's range is burning today. So all the big news on this fire may be over but the fire sure isn't out. There is a lot of range land inside this fire that hasn't burnt yet that probably will. They have to outside perimeter mostly contained so I doubt they will spend the money and man power to fight things inside that perimeter.