OCA Accepting Wildfire Donations

As we prepare to start 2026, there are many ranchers and livestock producers across Oregon still trying to recover from 2024, a year that saw record wildfires across the state.  The Oregon Cattlemen’s Association’s Matt McElligott said many think of wildfires as an inconvenience because of the smoke it creates, but he says those fires can easily destroy a livelihood.

“When it does burn it does go through forest land and also goes through open rangeland, but all of it is rangeland quite frankly," McElligott said.  "And when it burns then It creates such a damage to the environment that we can't as an industry graze cattle or sheep or any other livestock on that for a couple years unless the conditions are just exceptional and usually they aren't.”

McElligott added wildfires burn very hot, scorching the earth, burning up any seed bank that may be within the soil.  Meaning it takes a lot of management and a lot of time to rehabilitate the land, allowing livestock to return.  In response, the OCA launched a wildfire fund a few years ago, to assist ranchers statewide.

"We've made that a permanent fund that can be donated to and applied for funds to help offset costs that the producers have to rebuild fences or any other infrastructure and costs that they may have had associated with fires," McElligott said.  "And it'll be ongoing.”

Visit the OCA"s Website to learn more about the Association's Wildfire fund, or how you can donate.

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