Panhandle ranchers eying at least $21 million in wildfire damages
While damages are still being assessed and ranchers are still trying to find surviving cattle, early estimates are putting agricultural losses due to the deadly wildfires in the Texas Panhandle at $21 million.
The fires broke out March 6 and burned for days in prairie lands across Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas. All told, more than 1.4 million acres were destroyed, including about 500,000 acres in Texas.
Steve Amosson, an economist at Texas A&M Extension Service, said his damage estimate included $6.1 million in lost pasture, $6.1 million in lost or damaged fencing, $3.8 million in lost buildings and corrals, $4 million in livestock death losses, and $1 million for emergency hay and feed.
He said longer term impact could depend on how the remaining 13,000 to 14,000 cattle in the path of the fire will be fed amid depleted grazing land.
Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/business/national/article/Panhandle-ranchers-eying-at-least-21-million-in-11005072.php
