VALE, Ore. — Ranchers are reeling after a wildfire in eastern Oregon destroyed prime grazing land, forcing many to rely on hay much earlier than usual.
The Cow Valley Fire, now 99% contained, burned roughly 133,000 acres northwest of Vale over the last couple of weeks.
"We've seen cows get burned up and tons of feed go up," said Matt Whitaker with High Desert Hay & Forage.
While the fire brought lots of devastation, the community continues rallying behind those affected. Whitker helped start a GoFundMe and fund through Ontario's 1st Security Bank to help ranchers pay for hay.
He said they have raked in more than $10,000, enough for 2.5 truckloads of hay. The first truckload, which will go to four or five ranchers, went out Tuesday.
"It's honestly grown more than we thought," he said. "It’s not just the immediate need that we’re trying to help with, it’s also next year’s feed that is going to be heavily affected as well.”
Westfall rancher Jeff Romans said seeing neighbors and friends "lose everything" has been tough.
"The look in their eye, the struggle that they went through, the lack of sleep, there’s been a lot of high emotions that have happened in the community just to fight for our livelihoods," he said.
Romans said he lost one cow in the fire, three to five months of grazing for more than half their operation in one spot, and several years of grazing in another.
He was able to move his cattle to pastures and said they have enough hay to make things work but said many are less fortunate.
"For a rancher to bring his cattle home right now and to feed them hay that they could have sold or hay that they’re going to have to purchase," he said, "it’s [going to] take the profit out of what we do.”
He also worries about what the rest of the summer could hold, considering wildlife season is far from over.
Elizabeth Thomas, Thomas Cattle Company co-owner, said it will take ranchers years to recover from the Cow Valley Fire and others currently burning. The Cow Valley torched some of their range land in Oregon.
The fire started on their grazing ground in Ironside, she said. The Bureau of Land Management ruled it was human-caused.
"I think uncertainty is a word many ranchers are probably feeling right now." Thomas said. "Ranchers are resilient, perseverant and will figure out a way to make it work, but the challenges that lie ahead are just beginning."
Like Whitaker, she believes ranchers should not face those challenges alone and is grateful for the outpouring of support.
"People in agriculture are the backbone of our system," she said, "so to see the community come together and support our ranchers is really special."
In addition to High Desert's fundraiser, ranchers have been able to get hay through various drives. Thomas said Klean Kitchen in Boise is donating 100% of its beef product sales to affected ranchers for the next couple of weeks.
Other ways to help in addition to Whitaker's fundraiser:
1. Vale Community Coalition is collecting funds through its Venmo account and distributing them out to area RFPA groups.
2. Stepleton Electric in Vale is collecting food and drink supplies to provide to fire crews working the fires. 565 12th St. N, Vale, OR 97918