Wildfire Impact

Wildfire Impact

Wildfire Impact

I’m Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

A request by Governor Jay Inslee for an Emergency Declaration to make additional federal resources available to help with the ongoing response to wildfires in Washington state has been approved by President Obama. The Governor has stated that this additional assistance will help address power outages in areas where electric infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, as well as assist with debris removal. Six Fire Management Assistance Grants have already been provided by FEMA, as well as support from the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and other federal partners. To date the Carlton Complex fire in Okanogan County has burned more than 250,000 acres, making it the largest fire in state history.

We spoke with Washington cattle rancher Jack Field about producers impacted by the fires.

FIELD: Vic Stokes, the Washington Cattlemen’s Association president and a number of other cattlemen throughout the Methow and throughout Okanogan County have been impacted by the fires. The challenge right now is being able to get a good handle on just the number of people that are impacted and what the total losses are because the power is down and there’s no phones. Right now (we’re) just trying to figure out what the needs are and in short feed and fencing are going to be by far and away the biggest, but the question is trying to figure out how much of each.

Fields says that the Washington Cattlemen’s Association has been in contact with NRCS and the FSA office to make some requests and find out how those two agencies can respond, as well as find opportunities for the Emergency Conservation Program that might help producers impacted by the fires with emergency grazing, fencing and water development.

That’s Washington Ag Today.

I’m Lacy Gray on the Ag Information Network.

Previous ReportWater Quality Standards Rule-Making
Next ReportExpanded Coverage On Forage Production