Monday, July 11, 2022
Daily western ranching and political headlines brought to you by the Public Lands Council.
TODAY IN DC
- At 9:00 a.m. President Biden received the President’s Daily Brief.
- At 3:45 p.m. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will brief the press.
- At 5:00 p.m. President Biden and The Vice President will receive a briefing from National Aeronautics and Space Administration officials and preview the first images from the Webb Space Telescope.
SENATE
- The Senate will convene at 3:00 p.m. and proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the nomination of Ashish S. Vazirani, of Maryland, to be a Deputy Under Secretary of Defense.
- The House will convene at 2:30 p.m.
Wildfire Update
Nationwide number of new large fires or emergency responses: 2
Nationwide number of active large fires: 73
Nationwide acres from active fires: 2,805,239
Nationwide large fires contained: 1
This report is brought to you by the National Interagency Fire Center.
In the News
Heat Wave: Heat dome projected to bring triple-digit temps to Western US.
Heat Dome to Bring Triple-Digit Temperatures of up to 113 Degrees Fahrenheit for the Southwest US, Nature World News – A heat dome is set to hit the Southwestern United States this week as triple-digit temperatures have been projected to reach up to 113 degrees Fahrenheit. This estimation is according to AccuWeather forecasters, who said that the scorching temperatures will be evident by Monday, July 11. Similar values could also continue on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 12 and July 13. The heat dome is shifting towards the Western US early this week.
Species Management: NDOW seeks feedback on future species and habitat conservation plans; Environmental groups appeal federal grizzly management plan; CO wolfpack’s collars stop working, officials concerned.
NDOW seeks feedback on species conservation and habitats in Nevada, Carson Now – Join Nevada Department of Wildlife on Wednesday, July 20 at 3 p.m. to kick-off development of the Habitat Conservation Framework and associated Sagebrush Habitat and Wildlife Connectivity plans. This kick-off will be a hybrid format with opportunities to attend in-person at the Reno NDOW headquarters or virtually via Zoom. The signing of Executive Order 2021-18 directs NDOW to collaboratively develop a Nevada Habitat Conservation Framework to provide for conservation, restoration, rehabilitation, and protection of Nevada’s habitats.
Environmental groups file appeal challenging federal plan to kill 72 grizzlies near Yellowstone, Oil City News – Environmental groups that sued the U.S. government in March 2020 are taking another swing at stopping a federal plan to authorize the killing of up to 72 grizzly bears to accommodate livestock grazing in Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest near Yellowstone National Park. On Thursday, the Center for Biological Diversity and Sierra Club filed an appeal in their case that was dismissed by the U.S. District Court of Wyoming in May. Forest officials decided in October 2019 to allow livestock grazing to continue across more than 260 square miles in the Green River headwaters of Bridger-Teton National Forest, the Associated Press reported.
Colorado wolfpack no longer has working collars, causing concern among officials, MSN – Colorado’s closely watched North Park wolfpack no longer has a working radio collar among its members, causing growing concern among ranchers, some wolf experts and the state wildlife agency. Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirmed to the Coloradoan the remaining working collar among the three fitted on pack members failed May 13. That collar was attached to the breeding adult male of the pack, which last year helped produce the state’s fist pups in 80 years. “Not having a functional collar in the pack makes it very difficult to have up-to-date information on where the pack is,” the state wildlife agency wrote in an email response to Coloradoan questions.
Wildfire: Yosemite wildfire continues to threaten sequoia groves; New fire in central Utah is moving fast.
Yosemite fire grows as crews protect iconic sequoias, Independent – A wildfire threatening the largest grove of giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park more than doubled in size in a day, and firefighters were working Sunday to protect the iconic trees and a small mountain town. Campers near the blaze were evacuated but the rest of the sprawling park in California remained open, though smoke that hung in the air obscured some scenic vistas. More than 500 mature sequoias were threatened in the Mariposa Grove but there were no reports of severe damage to any named trees, including the 3,000-year-old Grizzly Giant.
Halfway Hill Fire rages through mountains in Utah, KUTV – Authorities in Utah are working to stop a fast-moving wildfire that sparked Friday afternoon in the mountains east of Fillmore in Millard County. The fire is called the Halfway Hill Fire and has burned over 500 acres, according to the Utah Division of Fire, Forestry, and State Lands. Temperatures in Millard County were near triple digits at the time the fire started, just before 3 p.m. EDT. The Millard County Sheriff’s Office ordered the evacuation of the Virginia Hills subdivision due to the fire.
Water Management: Rancher and CWT sign deal to increase Crystal River flow.
Crystal River rancher, Water Trust again try to boost flows, Post Independent – A Crystal River Valley rancher and a nonprofit organization are teaming up for the second time to try to leave more water in a parched stream. Cold Mountain Ranch owners Bill Fales and Marj Perry have inked a six-year deal with the Colorado Water Trust to voluntarily re-time their irrigation practices to leave water in the Crystal River during the late summer and early fall, when the river often needs it most. In addition to a $5,000 signing bonus, the ranchers will be paid $250 a day up to 20 days, for each cubic foot per second (cfs) they don’t divert, for a maximum payment of $30,000.
Agencies: USFS appoints new Santa Fe National Forest supervisor.
Santa Fe National Forest gets new acting supervisor, Yahoo News – The U.S. Forest Service announced Friday that Carson National Forest supervisor James Duran will also serve as acting supervisor for the Santa Fe National Forest for the next four months. Duran is filling in for SFNF supervisor Debbie Cress, who is temporarily assigned to the acting Deputy Chief of Staff role for U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore. The two northern New Mexico forests have had an early and destructive fire season this year.
Conservation: Colorado West Land Trust partners with private owner to conserve habitat.
Land trust, family partner to protect 146 acres, The Daily Sentinel – The Colorado West Land Trust has partnered with a family to permanently protect 146 acres of wildlife habitat in Delta County. The nonprofit agency announced in a news release that it worked with the Lazo family to conserve the property on Fruitland Mesa, a large plateau between the Smith Fork of the Gunnison River’s canyon to the north and Red Canyon to the south. “Standing on it, one may view the West Elk Mountains to the east, Black Canyon of the Gunnison to the south, and Gunnison Gorge to the west,” the land trust said in its release.
Grazing: Increasingly severe fires bolster researchers’ push for grazing as a preventative tool.
Scientists Resort to ‘Targeted Cattle Grazing’ Against Cheatgrass and Wildfires in the Western US, Nature World News – Cheatgrass has been found to be responsible for fueling wildfire explosions and for threatening native wildlife species in the Western United States. The invasive grass, carried by settlers through contaminated seed and straw, was reportedly first brought to the US West in the 1800s. Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), which were once only native to Europe, Africa, and southwestern Asia, has become widespread in other areas of the world, driving out native grasses and are easily combustible.