A new publication released by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service aims at helping landowners take preventive measures to mitigate the impact of wildfires.

Wildfire: Preparing the Ranch is an online educational resource debuting at Fire and Rangeland Management Symposiums in the Texas Panhandle. The first event was in Pampa on Jan. 21 and a second event will be in Canadian on Feb. 13. The resource is designed to equip Texas agricultural producers with educational information and tools to prepare for wildfires.

The publication includes information on identifying early or intense wildfire environments, risk management, infrastructure protection, livestock evacuation and a wildfire preparation checklist.

The publication draws on the expertise of AgriLife Extension specialists, the agency’s Disaster Assessment and Recovery agents, and the Texas A&M Forest Service – all part of The Texas A&M University System.

Actionable, proactive steps

“Landowners and producers understand Mother Nature better than anyone else,” said Morgan Treadwell, Ph.D., lead author, AgriLife Extension range specialist, San Angelo, and professor in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management. 

“This publication was created to supplement existing producer knowledge and present science- and experience-based actionable, proactive steps and strategies,” Treadwell said. “This will serve as a one-stop shop in living and ranching with the reality of wildfire conditions.”

More than 1.2 million acres burned in the Texas Panhandle beginning in late February 2024, making it the largest wildfire in Texas history. Initial loss estimates were $123 million in short-term losses, including more than 12,000 cattle deaths, lost grazing values and fence repair costs, according to AgriLife Extension economists. 

“Just as land stewards set goals for habitat and forage production, with this publication we can realize and implement the prioritization of wildfire preparation along every step of the grazing management process,” Treadwell said. 

“We can’t just live by the traditional wildfire season anymore,” she said. “We need to read the pastures, landscapes and plant communities and understand how the ranch management strategy fits into the big picture, which inevitably includes wildfire.”

Developing a plan

Treadwell said ranchers should develop a year-round plan based on environmental conditions, similar to how they manage grazing and livestock.

“Most ranchers and producers have a plan and very successfully execute each step that prepares their operation based on conditions and short- and long-term outlooks,” she said. 

“Whether preparing for drought, extreme heat, cold weather, calving, branding or weaning, we can do the same for our communities and our ranching operations when it comes to the threat of wildfire. This publication is a starting place for those conversations and, hopefully, actions.”