A month ago, J.R. Clark looked across the still smoldering fields of his ranch northeast of Browning, wondering what to do next after a pair of bizarre winter wildfires scorched almost 400 acres of his land.
Clark is one of the several ranchers affected by the fires, which burned acres of land critical to feed horses and cattle. Now some of those ranchers are getting help from the Montana Horse Sanctuary, which has solicited donations from both the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Humane Society of the United States, to purchase hay and feed.
Montana Horse Sanctuary Executive Director Jane Heath estimates that the fires affected more than 1,000 animals. Ranchers lost their hay supply and grazing fields on Jan. 4 when fires, in a matter of hours, burned nearly 18,000 acres and destroyed two homes and a handful of outbuildings and barns.
“We knew there were horses and cattle in trouble and we can appreciate the tragedy of losing your pasture and hay,” Heath, whose group is based in Simmons, said.
Montana Horse Sanctuary donated $4,000, the ASPCA gave $15,000 and the Humane Society pitched in $2,900. Although it’s an early estimate, Heath said nearly $500,000 worth of hay and grass was destroyed.
Mark Magee, director of the Blackfeet Land Department, said 60 tons of hay have been delivered to the reservation so far, but officials have been slow to distribute it all, wanting to ensure that everyone gets their fair share.
“Obviously we can’t replace all of that (hay), but we’re able to give them something now so that they can figure something else out down the road,” Magee said.
Ranchers won’t be able to let their animals graze on the burned grass for at least a year, Magee said. That will allow it a full season to grow and recover.
Tribal officials have contacted the U.S. Department of Agriculture about releasing area grasslands for emergency grazing. The Conservation Reserve Program takes certain grasslands out of production until there is a need, like a drought or fire. But opening those up may not be enough for some ranchers.
“It has affected different people in different ways,” Magee said. “One person I know lost his whole supply and he’s not sure what he’s going to do.”
Clark, on the other hand, said he was lucky. Even though he lost almost 400 acres of grass, he has other pastures his animals can feed on. But he’s worried about the loss of brush and trees, which provide shelter for animals from the harsh Montana Hi-Line winds, a necessity when calves are born. Clark and his ranch hands will continue working overtime, constantly keeping an eye on cattle and rushing to get the newborns out of the cold.
Clark said this winter has certainly been busier than most, but his family will get by. He didn’t lose any hay, so he won’t need help from the horse sanctuary or other organizations.
“If you don’t need it, then don’t touch it,” he said. “That (hay) is for my friends.”
For more information about the Montana Horse Sanctuary, visit www.montanahorsesanctuary.org or call (406) 264-5300.