The North Complex Fire of 2020 was estimated to produce more carbon dioxide and pollutants in one week than all of the cars in California in one year. That fire was in the list of 5 biggest fires in state history until it got surpassed by the August Complex Fire the same year. But it remains one of the deadliest, with 15 human deaths. This fire also burned to death hundreds of cows and calves, and that toll should not be forgotten. We can have theoretical and scientific discussions about how much wild fire to allow, how much prescribed fire to initiate, and how much forest to thin, but these discussion must consider the high psychological and human costs of large, catastrophic wildfires. Dave Daley knows this in a way most of us will never experience, and he hopes no one else does. This story covers ranch history, fire history, massive plant community shifts, horrific cattle deaths, and the impact of large wildfire on Dave's family.

Transcript and links at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-125-human-costs-catastrophic-wildfire-dave-daley

AoR 125: The Human Costs of Catastrophic Wildfire, with Dave Daley

Australia is hosting the IRC2025 in Adelaide, and this is the biggest rangelands event leading up to the 2026 UN International Year of Rangelands & Pastoralists. Australia boasts more rangeland than the United States, with wild, open spaces everywhere. Andrew and Nicole discuss uniquenesses of Australia, challenges common to other parts of the world, and the 7 themes of the congress. This event is an excellent opportunity to visit this less-peopled continent with a fascinating history. Submit to present at the conference by June 2, and check out the pre-congress tour options, which will sell out fast.

Go to https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-128-international-rangelands-congress-2025-nicole-spiegel-andrew-ash
for resources mentioned in this episode and a transcript of the conversation.

AoR 128: International Rangelands Congress 2025, with Nicole Spiegel & Andrew Ash

Is it possible to generate renewable energy, beef, and wildlife habitat in the same space? Long-time collaborators Puget Sound Energy, WSU Extension, Stingley Ranches, and Washington Dept of Fish & Wildlife have proven the reality of this unlikely combination for more than 15 years on sagebrush ecosystems in the Intermountain West. The Wild Horse Coordinated Resource Management group has been managing grazing and a wide diversity of wildlife species on a wind energy facility since 2007, with a stable grazing process, abundant non-game and game species, and power for 80,000 households. The wind farm has facilitated, rather than diminished, habitat conservation through funding rehabilitation, stockwater, and innovative grazing in addition to preventing housing development on extraordinarily valuable habitat.

Transcript and links at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-126-renewable-energy-wildlife-grazing-jeff-tayer-ryan-stingley-jennifer-galbraith.

AoR 126: Renewable Energy, Wildlife, & Grazing with Jeff Tayer, Ryan Stingley, & Jennifer Galbraith

"Layer something on your dirt that increases revenue opportunities and reduces risk." Clay Worden and James Rogers offer capstone comments on The Art of Range ranch financial resiliency series, from the importance of leveraging land assets (the big value in a ranch property) to tracking and managing production unit costs and revenues.
Transcript and links at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-127-ranch-financial-success-bigger-cow-profits-clay-worden-james-rogers

AoR 127: Ranch Financial Success is Bigger than Per-Cow Profits, Clay Worden & James Rogers

Neighbors helping neighbors fight fire--this is the goal of Rangeland Fire Protection Associations (RFPAs) according to the Idaho Dept of Lands: "RFPAs empower local landowners to protect their own property and their neighbors’ where fire protection services are limited or not available. RFPAs can also respond to fires nearby that would otherwise take time for other firefighting agencies to reach." Mike Guerry, a French Basque 3rd generation rancher, has been instrumental in establishing and supporting RFPAs in Idaho. Under this cooperative arrangement, landowners and ranchers are able to coordinate with fire agencies in active firefighting.

Transcript and links at: https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-129-rangeland-fire-protection-associations-basque-rancher-mike-guerry

AoR 129: Rangeland Fire Protection Associations with Basque rancher, Mike Guerry

The Western U.S. has experienced catastrophic fire frequency and extent in 2020. Matt Reeves, USFS, shares some wildfire prediction tools that may help landowners and agencies prepare in the future for both wildfire and grazing decisions that may help mitigate the effects of fire. He introduces a new monthly webinar for the growing season called “Reading the Tea Leaves”. https://www.fs.usda.gov/rmrs/events/tealeaves

MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST
Fuelcast app, https://www.fuelcast.net/ 
Rangeland Production Monitoring Service, https://www.lankstonconsulting.com/rpms. 
Wildfire Decision Support System, https://wfdss.usgs.gov/wfdss/WFDSS_Home.shtml

Transcript: https://bit.ly/33NOWNl

AoR 46: Matt Reeves, Fuelcasting: A West-Wide Rangeland Fuel Assessment

The Art of Range is a podcast about rangelands for people who manage rangelands.  Our goal is education and conservation through conversation.  Find us online at www.artofrange.com.

AoR 46: Matt Reeves, Fuelcasting: A West-Wide Rangeland Fuel Assessment

Art of Range

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