Monumental Fires In Western Nebraska

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aandtcattle

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Nov 18, 2010
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489
Location
Hay Springs, Nebraska
It all started Wednesday afternoon at about 4:30, approximately 4-5 miles south of my main summer range, and it was headed north.  I was hauling hay home from south of the ranch and saw lightning north but had no idea of what was to come.  At about 7:00 I got a call saying the fire was about 2-3 miles from my pasture so picked up the guy that runs a few cows with me up north and we headed out to see what we were up against.  We got within 3 miles of the pasture before we ran into a traffic jam, which is never a good thing out in the middle of nowhere.  Finally got thru and to the pasture to find about 40 fire rigs on my ground along with about 8 county maintainers blading firelines on the north end of my property.  We drove where we could with a 4x4 pickup but could not find any cattle, so we headed back home and loaded 4 wheelers, spotlights and particle masks and went back to the roaring blaze.  Drove where we could with the wheelers and managed to gather up 12 pairs of mine and 1 fall calving cow of Dwights, there are 40 pair and 12 fall calvers in this pasture.  Got home at 2:30am and went back up the next morning after feeding the weaned calves we have at home.  We made it to the far southwest corner of the pasture that had been burning the night before to find all of the remaining cattle camped on a 50 yard x 50 yard "island" on the south side of a 70 ft. cliff, down in a holler by a pond.  All of the cows and calves were covered with soot, some have singe marks and burned spots on them but all alive and well.  We trailed them about 7 miles to some corrals and hauled them home Thursday.  I have been busy helping neighbors haul their cows to safety ever since.  I beleive Ive burned about $1100 worth of diesel thru my pickup since wednesday night.
 

aandtcattle

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Nov 18, 2010
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489
Location
Hay Springs, Nebraska
Not real sure about total acres burned but it has been enormous, you may be able to research it on the internet.  It's being referred to as "The Wellnitz Fire". There is also another huge fire complex burning west between Chadron and Crawford.  I heard that between the 2 fires theres been 115,000+ acres lost.  Not to mention the countless thousands of tons of hay and a few folks have also lost cows to the fire.  I consider myself lucky that I just lost pasture.  I cant post pictures with my phone but did text some pictures to trevorgrey and sue so if they would like to post those on here for me, that would be great.  Take care y'all!  God Bless!
 

sue

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May 1, 2007
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Aaron
I cannot post pictures from my phone either. I wish you and  all of NW Nebraska  well and God bless.

 

chiangus

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Mar 27, 2009
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461
Wow very scary.  This dry weather has been a nightmare.  We are down about 16" from last year.

I am glad you were able to get your cattle out.
 

aandtcattle

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Joined
Nov 18, 2010
Messages
489
Location
Hay Springs, Nebraska
Thank you for all the prayers and well wishes!  I appreciate it all, and the outpouring of support has been awesome from the shorthorn community!  I bet Ive had calls and texts from 10 different states already!  Yeah thats one of the pictures i sent to brock, i dont facebook. Does he have the one up on facebook of the cows trailing out of the smoldering canyon?  (lol)
 

ruhtram

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Oct 5, 2008
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Location
Iowa
I am glad to hear your escaped the worst. Hope everyone else turns out well.  (angel)
 

Cowboy

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Apr 13, 2007
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692
Location
McCook Ne.
Went thru this very same thing in June on a much smaller scale though. Lost about 300 acres on our line north, and the nieghbor lost over 1000. A melted farm truck and three dead cows later -- now it is all just a smelly dark spot on the map. Not even a lizard lived thru our's, and I can only imagine how bad things got on over 100,000 acres. This year especially, the hay and feed losses are going to be monumental.

Thoughts are with you all up there guys, I actually hadn't heard of this fire until tonight -- God Bless -- if there is anything we can do from down here in SW Neb, let me know and I will surely try!

Terry
 

justintime

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May 26, 2007
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4,346
Location
Saskatchewan Canada
My heart goes out to you! Drought is terrible enough without having to deal with fires as well. It will take some time and lots of rain to even get these pastures back after a fire takes them. We had a decade of drought in the 80s and fires were a huge concern. I remember fighting two huge grass fires in particular that were scary and that covered many miles. One occured on a very windy day and it travelled faster than a person could run. The only way it was stopped was with cats and graders digging a fire guard a few miles from the fire. Despite a fire guard of a few hundred feet being plowed, the fire was still jumping it and we had water trucks and people lined up trying to put out the fires that jumped the fire guard. We had to patrol the fire area for almost two more days because smoldering cow pies kept reigniting the fire. I remember being so tired when I decided to go home that I hardly could walk to where my truck was. In all this fire was about 4-5 miles wide and travelled 17 miles before it was stopped. If we had not had lots of oilfield cats, graders, payloaders and water trucks along with many farmers tractors and discs, this fire could have gone for many more miles. On the same day, there was another huge fire south of us that travelled into Montana and burnt an entire small town. Every building burnt except for a church and the bar.This fire was even bigger than the one near us and it burnt everything in it's path for over 30 miles and took a few ranches as well as the grass. 

I hope you guys start to get some rains to help bring everything back to some normality!
 

Okotoks

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Aug 17, 2010
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I'm glad your cows made it out ok but what a nightmare to live through. I hope you get some rain soon!
If you get a chance trevorgrey I would like to see the canyon photo!
 

RMRW

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Feb 27, 2008
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106
Here is what that "cowboy" sent me!  Looks like hell bud...
 

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sue

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May 1, 2007
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Here is a shot of A&T in the drought of 2006 .
 

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Shorthorns4us

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Aug 24, 2010
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321
Location
SW Iowa
Aaron and your neighbors:

Our thoughts and prayers are with you to have some relief soon.  Glad that everyone is ok. 

Emily
 

aandtcattle

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Nov 18, 2010
Messages
489
Location
Hay Springs, Nebraska
Hey, Dan! No rain here, we have had 0.90 inches since April 1.  Its really bad here and its a huge area around us in the same position.  I wouldnt wish this drought on anybody!  Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers, its appreciated.
 
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