Fort Howes Fires

["Bill and Jan Stevens" <circlebarranch@mcn.net>]

We are alive and well.  Yes, the fires have consumed a great deal of property.  At last estimate we're standing at 55-60,000 acres lost.  Of that, a great deal is back-burning to control the fire from taking more property. 

 

For those that have been here to our ride, the hill back of the mailboxes went up in smoke on Saturday afternoon.  We did manage to get it stopped at the road, so our hay fields, houses, and outbuildings are fine.  There are still some trees that were spared, but it will certainly look different next year.

 

As for our trails, the 25 mile loop up to and back from the Cow Creek campground has suffered the most damage...we would guess it to be about 85-95% hit.  Bill and his crew did manage to save the campground though.  It was touch and go trying to save it, dug a cat line around it, and then back-burned.  We're certain that they wouldn't have rebuilt it....no trees etc.  The 20 mile loop sustained some damage as did the 15 mile loop.  We had a smaller fire on Bridge Canyon where the 15 mile loop goes up the canyon on the road just after leaving the ranch. 

 

They called in reinforcements on Thursday after the fires started Wednesday night.  By Friday they were calling it a class 2 fire.  This brought in a management team to handle the resources.  This was desperately needed, since our local group was not handling the situation very well (that's putting it mildly and I'm being very polite-They got both barrels a couple of times from Bill and I-especially when they told Bill not to be out there fighting fires.-what they REALLY don't get is that this is our livelihood that they are dealing with....they'll still get a paycheck, but we don't if we loose it all).  As of right now, it's a type 1 fire, which brought in more people to run things and the National Guard is down from what I understand.

 

Things have definitely cooled down fire wise now....Mainly small fires within the boundary of the firelines, and one fire still burning that they don't have a complete handle on which is on the west side by Tongue River.  We are hoping that the severe thunderstorms that they are calling for tonight bring rain rather than the dry lightening that started this all.

 

Our kids came home yesterday.  Our horses and cattle are fine.   Garden hoses and ladders are still on the roof, just in case.  Pumpers on the pickups are full, just in case.

 

Thanks for all the concern....Looking forward to heading to France in less than 3 weeks....

 

Until Later-

Bill and Jan Stevens

Fort Howes Endurance Rides, Inc.

"We're Still on for Next Year!"