WSDA Reminding Ranchers To Prepare For Wildfires

Just because the start of school and football season is around the corner, doesn’t mean the threat of wildfires will be dissipating anytime soon.  In fact, August and September are often some of the most active months for wildfires here in the Pacific Northwest.

The Washington State Department of Agriculture is encouraging livestock producers to plan, prepare and stay alert.  The WSDA’s Dr. Mindy Buswell said your livestock need you to make a plan for their survival, an evacuation plan.

“Are your animals officially IDed or are they branded? Are they registered? Keeping that information on hand, you know, in this event that you have to leave your home is important," she stressed.  "So can you grab that quickly and bring it, because if you have to leave your home and your animals, we want to be able to find them. Especially if they get away.”

Buswell said another important issue to consider, what does your trailer situation look like, whether you’re getting out of the way of a fire, or returning home after an evacuation.

Buswell added when it comes to protecting your home and property, maintaining fire guards is ideal.

“That's what we call creating defensible spaces or fire breaks," Buswell said.  "That might just look like clearing dead vegetation or any of those. I think one of the big things that I've seen that's come out of a fire is we don't have any more fencing. It's burnt. So planning for that, if you're if your fencing gets burnt, what are you going to do, you know when things get ‘back to normal’ and how are you going to defend that fencing so that you don't have to replace it?” 

Buswell added in her experience, many producers don’t plan for that return home, which could mean a small amount of cleanup, or lost building.  For more on preparing your farm or ranch for the possibility of a wildfire visit the WSDA's Website.

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com