Ranchers have been greatly impacted by the 2017 wildfires with livestock injury and losses, damage to grazing areas and hay, destroyed fencing and water developments affecting livelihoods, reports the Cariboo Fire Centre.
And while the fires are still in effect throughout the province, there are several programs available to help commercial livestock producers who have been impacted.
The Emergency Management BC Commercial Livestock Relocation program provides resources to commercial livestock producers to help evacuate and relocate livestock in areas under an evacuation alert or evacuation order. Contact your Emergency Operations Centre to request Form 514 or phone 250-398-5581.
Emergency livestock feed is available to commercial livestock producers in the Cariboo Regional District that have lost grazing areas as a result of wildfires. To register, contact the Northeast Area Provincial Regional Emergency Operations Centre at: 250-561-3514.
Fence reconstruction along highways and on Crown range will begin soon using a prioritized approach to protect public safety and the welfare of livestock. Contact your local district Range staff about Crown range fences or the BC Cattlemen’s Association about highway fences: 250-573-3611.
The BC Cattlemen’s Association and Range staff from the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development have begun working with ranchers throughout the province to locate Crown range and private grazing areas that are available to accommodate wildfire-impacted ranchers who need summer and fall grazing.
After two to six millimetres of rain on Thursday and a reasonably gentle weather day, fire behaviour will be variable across the Central Cariboo, with more activity to the south and much quieter to the north, reports the Cariboo Fire Centre.