N.Dakota Ranchers Want To Know
When They Can Return To Range

WATFORD CITY, N.D. —(AP)— Ranchers who lost grazing land to prairie fires want the U.S. Forest Service to provide better information about when cattle can return to damaged grasslands.

About 70,000 acres in western North Dakota burned in two wildfires east and west of here. Much of the burned land is part of the Little Missouri National Grasslands, which is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

``They have not talked to us, so we don't know,'' said Keith Winter, president of the McKenzie County Grazing Association, referring to the Forest Service. ``These people really want to know.''

About 25 ranchers lost access to national grasslands pastures after the fires last month. Since then, ranchers have moved some 2000 to 3000 head of cattle to alternate locations. Some are getting by with hay and feed donated by farmers from Bowman to Fairview.

Neither the grazing association nor the Forest Service believes the damage is as bad as first feared. But Spike Thompson, the grasslands district ranger, said he's not ready to answer the question ranchers want answered.

``It's pretty typical that it could mean they couldn't graze out there for two years,'' Thompson said. ``Now I'm not sure that's necessary.''

A five-man team of Forest Service specialists concluded there's no need for either emergency grass seeding in the grasslands or for installing check dams on waterways to prevent erosion.

Jim Johnson, of Grassy Butte, a member of the grazing association's range committee, said the association's four-man committee reached the same conclusion.

``We all agreed that the grass is really not hurt,'' Johnson said. ``The fire went so fast it never burned the buds of the grass. With adequate moisture, it will come back.''

Johnson said he hoped ranchers could use the land again in July or August — if the area receives enough moisture.

Thompson said the affected areas probably can't take grazing for a growing season.

Winter said ranchers need answers soon. He said he's frustrated that Thompson has not yet met with ranchers to discuss the dilemma.

He said ranchers need to know what to do when it's time to feed their animals in winter.

Meanwhile, the North Dakota congressional delegation says the fires won't play into their strategy to convince the Forest Service to make a proposed grasslands management plan more rancher-friendly.

``I don't expect it will, because the proposal by the Forest Service is a long-term issue,'' said Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D.