WINNEMUCCA - The Bureau of Land Management is planning to remove wild horses from a herd management area within the Vale BLM district that was burned recently by the huge Long Draw fire.
The lightning-caused wildfire began July 8 near Basque Station along U.S. 95 north of McDermitt. It scorched nearly 580,000 acres and reached the Owyhee Canyon before it was put out a week later.
The fire started on the west side of U.S. 95 and jumped to the east side of the highway. In the first five days, the fire blew up to nearly 450,000 acres, fanned by hot temperatures, winds, low humidity and extremely dry fuels.
The fire, according to the BLM, burned approximately 75 percent of the 65,211 acres in the Jackies Butte Herd Management Area (HMA). Prior to the wildfire, water sources were becoming scarce due to the drought conditions this year.
BLM has determined that the emergency removal of the Jackies Butte wild horse herd is needed to ensure survival of the wild horses through the remainder of the summer and upcoming winter and to promote soil stabilization, the recovery of the rangeland vegetation, and wild horse and wildlife habitat.
Currently, the unburned portions of the Herd Management Area have limited perennial water sources. Congregating on limited water sources and traveling great distances to unburned forage will begin to negatively affect horse health.
Approximately 85 wild horses will be gathered using a helicopter and then transported by trailer to the Burns Wild Horse corrals. Jackies Butte horses will be separated by sex and retained in separate corrals.
Following vegetation recovery and rehabilitation from the Long Draw fire, these horses will be returned to the Herd Management Area to bring the wild horse population to low Animal Management Level (75 horses). Although dependent on environmental conditions, this recovery period is generally two growing seasons.
Livestock grazing will be removed for the same time period to allow for rangeland recovery.[[In-content Ad]]
