Fire tough on ranchers

KANOSH, Millard County — Firefighters expected to extend significantly the containment line around the expansive Milford Flat fire today, even though strong winds took flames on a run across the fire's northern boundaries Wednesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, three top culprits being blamed for the fire were lightning, cheat grass and federal land-use and environmental policies.

Lightning caused the fire, which started Friday and had burned 334,000 acres as of Wednesday night. Cheat grass — not native to the area and an ongoing fire nuisance — carries blazes quickly and is now an eradication target of both Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and the Bureau of Land Management.

Federal policies govern where and when ranchers can graze their cattle. The Forest Service wants ranchers to move cattle off summer ranges because of drought, but the fire has scorched flatland grazing areas from just south of Delta in Millard County to northwest of Beaver in Beaver County.

State Sen. Darin Peterson, R-Nephi, was one of three state senators who visited the fire area Wednesday. He was critical of federal policies that affect firefighting on public land and of the environmental lobby.

"Do you see any environmental groups here trying to help us today? I think we're being micromanaged," he said. "This sometimes doesn't need to happen."

Lawmakers and policymakers visiting the fire camp Wednesday said policy discussions will be ongoing long after the flames and smoke are gone.

Neuel Chlarson manages the White Sage Ranch. He made a calm but passionate plea Wednesday for the numerous government entities that oversee grazing access to "just be sensible and flexible" as ranchers try to deal with the effects of the fire.

"We pretty much lost all our winter range. What didn't burn this year burned last year," he said.

BLM officials said virtually all of the area affected or threatened by the Milford Flat fire has burned already in the past five years.

Rancher Pete Yardley said ranchers aren't sure of their next move.

"Right now we're at a loss on which direction to run with them," he said. "We can't just bring all of our cattle home."

Chlarson said the cattle at risk represent 6 million pounds of beef at market.

Just the cost of feeding the surviving cattle, where rangeland has been scorched, could put ranchers out of business. Selling the cattle would surely put them out of business, he said.

Chlarson said he paid $60 per ton for feeder hay one year ago. At an auction this week, the same amount sold for $160.