I just watched Tursdays episode of AgDay ... I DVD them so I can watch when I have the time ... it was a special episode - surprising because they usually save these for holiday weekends - and if you don't think ranchers cry, you are soooo wrong.
They don't cry because they lost darn near everything ... they weren't crying because some didn't have insurance on their cattle ... they didn't even cry because they will be having a very hard time for a while.
They cry because they are overwhelmed with emotion over the help they are receiving from people they didn't even know of.
There are farmers/ranchers who do not live in the area but they are gathering things like hay and feed for the surviving cattle ... there are people who are donating whatever goods they can to help these people get back on their feet, if even for a little while.
The wild fires stretched from the Texas panhandle all the way up into Colorado as far west as Nevada and, I think, even got into Nebraska, but I could be wrong.
There was one man who told how he he was out of town and told his wife to take the kids to his brothers house .. he drove like the wind and got to the property as fire arrived, driving past a blazing tree.
His family and brothers family are fine.
He didn't mention the cattle so I'm assuming he lost them.
There was a major ranching family who were hit very badly. They had realized the dry condition would make it rough for their livestock to eat so they had spread hay bails all over their range ...
Yes the fire ate all that hay - jumping from pile to pile taking the cattle with them.
Cattle are not smart animals ... unlike horses, they will not leave a barn when it's on fire - they will simply stay there and burn to death.
I'm not sure if it has been bred out of them or if it's just their gentle way ... either way, it's sad.
There have been several calves who lost their moms ... either by the fire or from having to be put down afterwards because of their wounds.
There are 4-H clubs coming to the rescue ... the kids (and their parents) are taken no the little ones in. They treat the injuries and bottle feed the calves ... some make it, a few don't ... but it's all a part of life, especially on a ranch or farm.
You can go to the AgDay webpage to watch the full length episode (they are limited to 1/2hr on tv) and see if there is anything you can do, if you wish.
