More than two months after the Hungate Fire swept through Randall County, ranchers are still dealing with the damage left behind.
During a recent Randall County Commissioners Court meeting, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension County Extension Agent J.D. Ragland updated commissioners on recovery efforts, saying the fire burned about 35,000 acres and destroyed roughly 250 miles of fencing.
Replacing that fencing has become one of the biggest challenges.
"The fencing is real expensive," Ragland said. "Many producers are at the point now where they're starting to rebuild their fences, either totally, some of them are having to do it in phases because of the expense, and we're able to assist them with some help."
Ragland said producers have received donated contributions and can also apply for assistance through government programs and the local Farm Service Agency office.
The price tag for rebuilding fences is significant.
"Fence rebuilding costs anywhere from 15,000 to on the upwards ends of close to 25 depending on all the corners that you put in, whether you use pipe," Ragland explained. "So, there's a kind of a big window there, a range, if you will, of average cost. But looking at probably around somewhere to $15,000 to $17,000 per mile, that's a lot of money."
In the first month after the fire, the focus was getting hay to ranchers who needed it.
"We were fortunate enough to get hay donated," Ragland said. "I myself coordinated the receiving and distribution of around 250 round bales that came from all across Texas and just trying to coordinate that with the local producers on a need-to-need basis, and we did that for about a 30-day window."
Now, attention has shifted to helping the land recover.
Ragland said producers are being encouraged to avoid grazing burned pastures for at least a year to give grasses time to recover.
"The reason for that is we need a long period of recovery time to not only help that grass rebuild a very extensive and strong root system but also help it replenish itself in terms of the nutrient value of the grass," Ragland said. "So, we're recommending that our producers not graze their wildfire damage pastures for at least a full year, and maybe even longer depending on how much moisture we receive between now and this time next year."
