In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the BLM
began arbitrarily capping Temporary Non- Renewable (TNR) grazing in
eastern Owyhee and Twin Falls county grazing allotments. This allowed
large amounts of fuel to accumulate. In 2007, the Murphy Complex Fire
burned an estimated 652,016 acres. By acreage, it was the third largest
wildfire in the United States between 1997 and 2009. The fire affected
Owyhee and Twin Falls counties in Idaho, and Elko County, Nev. Total
reclamation costs of tax payer dollars were estimated at well over $11
million taxpayer dollars during fiscal years 2007–2010, with full
recovery of the natural systems taking several additional years.
When the Birds of Prey
National Conservation Area was established, the BLM began reducing
springtime grazing allowing fine fuels to accumulate. The result was
that thousands of acres of the Birds of Prey NCA’s big sagebrush and
salt desert shrub habitat have burned and is now replaced with exotic
annual grasses (cheatgrass) and weeds. As these wildfires continue in
southern Idaho at such large scales, research indicates a significant
negative trend in other Idaho natural resources due to wildfires. The
number of Golden Eagle pairs in the NCA, have had a 30 percent decline
between 1971 and 2009, according to Michael Kochert, scientist emeritus
with the U.S. Geological Survey in Boise.
According to
Kochert, “Although various human uses have affected raptor populations,
the loss of native plant communities, spread of annual weeds and the
escalating fire cycle have probably had the most significant and
profound influences” (U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land
Management website).
Now the public land users in Idaho
have to face the aftermath of the Soda Fire in Owyhee County which
burned approximately 284,000 acres. Some of the most productive
sagegrouse habitat is now burned and blackened as a result of inadequate
fine fuel load management. Despite the warning signs, BLM continued to
dismiss the issue of high fuel loads on the public lands. BLM’s own data
showed excessive fuel loads and these same federal land managers
received warnings of catastrophic fire events from state agencies.
...One of many examples is the final grazing decision issued on
the Sands Basin Allotment (part of the Soda fire) which has now burned.
BLM documents show that utilization of a key grass species, Bluebunch
wheatgrass changed from an average 47% grazing use prior to 1996 to an
average of 11.67 percent grazed in 2011 in pasture 3. On this same
allotment in pasture 4, Bluebunch wheatgrass was an average of 50
percent grazed prior to 1996 but reduced to an average of 12.9 percent
grazed in 2011. Yet in a final grazing decision issued to ranchers in
recent years, BLM’s management prescription, for an allotment which was
noted to contain large amounts of very flammable exotic plants, further
decreased the livestock grazing in the allotment. These types of
management decisions will continue to allow for fine fuel loads to
increase over time.
The BLM noted in their NEPA documents
that a number of private, public and State Agencies asked them to
consider using grazing to reduce fine fuel loads to limit wildfires. Yet
when the BLM issued the grazing decision, the BLM Manager decided the
“resource cost” was too great and grazing was reduced. The result of
that decision, and dozens of like decisions over the years, is a
blackened and charred landscape with no recreation value, no
wildlife/sage grouse habitat value, and no grazing value.
Academic research and the science tells us that
“livestock grazing is one management technique that has been shown to
decrease fine fuel loading and subsequent wildfire severity (Archibald
et al., 2005; Davies et al., 2010). Ungulate grazing reduces the
standing herbaceous plant material available for burning; this in turn
can potentially reduce the frequency, extent and intensity of fires in
grass, shrub, and forest understory fuel types (Vale, 1974; Zimmerman
& Neuenschwander, 1984; Tausch et al., 1994; Hobbs, 1996; Belsky
& Blumenthal, 1997; Blackmore & Vitousek, 2000). In absence of
livestock grazing, cheat grass will likely increase to its ecological
potential for the site Journal of Range land Applications—Volume 1,
2014; pp. 35-57; ISSN: 2331-5512—Livestock Grazing Effects on Fuel Loads
for Wildland Fire in Sagebrush Dominated Ecosystems Eva K. Strand 1,
Karen L. Launchbaugh 2, Ryan Limb 3, and L. Allen Torell 4).
...The Soda Fire’s now burned and blackened 284,000 acres will have
negative impacts for recreationist, ranchers, endangered species, and
the Owyhee County economy for many years to come not to mention the
extremely high cost of suppression and rehabilitation that tax payers
will now pay. The Soda Fire burned 52,000 acres of priority sage-grouse
habitat, 194,000 acres of important sage grouse habitat, and 36,000
acres of general sage-grouse habitat. It has still far-reaching and yet
to be calculated impact to the livelihood of many ranches and the
families who make their living on the range. Recreationalist will not be
able to use the lands for many years. Wild horse herds will be
displaced. All of this, simply because of a BLM institutional bias
against using livestock for fine fuels management...
History clearly shows us that BLM management practices have been a
complete failure. Rather than preventing catastrophic fire, BLM’s
actions have ensured they will occur with regularity...
Joe Merrick is chairman of the Owyhee County Commission. Jerry L. Hoagl and Kelly Aberasturi are commissioners.
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