While people were able to drive themselves away from the oncoming Elephant Hill fire, cattle were not.

Across the Cariboo-Chilcotin this summer, ranchers have stayed behind, working against the clock to find their cattle before, during and after wildfires sweep through their range land.

For the past two weeks, rancher Gus Horn has been on the range working with fellow rancher and friend Ron Eden, to move Eden香蕉视频直播檚 cattle away from the oncoming fire.

He香蕉视频直播檚 seen corrals and fences burned because of slow moving fire and spoken to many who香蕉视频直播檝e been in the way when fire has moved quickly. In the words of one equipment operator: 香蕉视频直播渃ows exploded like popcorn,香蕉视频直播� Horn said.

香蕉视频直播淲hat I香蕉视频直播檝e seen burn is there is nothing that won香蕉视频直播檛 burn.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淐learcuts that are five or ten years old will burn; they香蕉视频直播檒l burn slower because there香蕉视频直播檚 less fuel. Fresh clearcuts that were done last winter; they burned really hot because there is so much dry matter and little green,香蕉视频直播� Horn said.

香蕉视频直播淔or the most part, willows and aspen slows it right down. I香蕉视频直播檝e seen wetland meadows that are fine and I香蕉视频直播檝e seen wetland meadows that are burnt from one side to the other because there is so much old dry matter that is there.香蕉视频直播�

The ranchers were part of a group spread over Eden香蕉视频直播檚 range, which stretches directly in the fire香蕉视频直播檚 path from Jack Frost Lake to North Bonaparte Road south of Green Lake. All were working to move cattle before the fire reached them, or failing that, once the fire had passed through.

The ranchers were allowed past the checkpoints thanks to help from the BC Cattlemen香蕉视频直播檚 Association.

香蕉视频直播淭he BC Cattlemen香蕉视频直播檚 Association has done an amazing job of negotiation and navigating bureaucracy with government to be sure that we香蕉视频直播檝e got permits to go in there,香蕉视频直播� Horn said.

The ranchers rode through fire-hit territory on horses, looking through meadows or at water holes for the cattle.

香蕉视频直播淵ou just go out here day after day. You look for tracks. We香蕉视频直播檝e gotten great tips from the people that we香蕉视频直播檝e spoken with and given our phone number to,香蕉视频直播� Horn said.

香蕉视频直播淓ven if you get five [or] two head at a time, and if you香蕉视频直播檙e lucky on a good day you香蕉视频直播檒l get 12 head,香蕉视频直播� he says. 香蕉视频直播淲e counted into the corrals yesterday and we were maybe like two or three head short, so the importance of being allowed out there because you don香蕉视频直播檛 know when things are going to blow up worse than they are.香蕉视频直播�

The horsemen round the cattle to corrals, both already in place or temporary ones where they try to get them loaded onto a truck and out of the fire zone as soon as possible.

香蕉视频直播淚t adds up. You think you香蕉视频直播檝e spend all day and you only got five head 香蕉视频直播� well, it was better than none. If you get five head for ten days you香蕉视频直播檝e got 50 head. A life is a life.香蕉视频直播�

For his part, Horn says he has yet to encounter any animals hurt by the fire, because it moved slowly enough for the animals to move out of the way where he香蕉视频直播檚 been looking, but says others have found dead or injured cows elsewhere.

Generally, he says the animals, once found, are easy to move, preferring to move homeward in smaller groups.

The group has also tried to stay aware of their own safety.

For the most part, the officials and people the group has encountered on the local level have been helpful, pointing them in the direction of animals, or sharing their own stories from the front lines.

香蕉视频直播淭o a person, everybody that we香蕉视频直播檝e met, with one exception, has been as gracious as you香蕉视频直播檇 expect them to be under the circumstances,香蕉视频直播� Horn said.

Help from the local range office has been available and accommodating, keeping the ranchers in the loop, and the importance of being allowed into the fire zone has been instrumental in protecting the animals.

When they香蕉视频直播檝e encountered resistance to their presence, Horn called it wasted time.

Still, he has questions from what he香蕉视频直播檚 seen.

香蕉视频直播淭here should be a transparent review of what the wildfire policies are,香蕉视频直播� he says.

While most of the contract crews he香蕉视频直播檚 met on the fire line have been local, he also says that local knowledge should be prioritized when it comes to fighting fires.

香蕉视频直播淚 think there needs to be a clear understanding for communities anywhere what wildfire management really means and how and when resources are spent and allocated and where.香蕉视频直播�

He also points to forest management before any of the fires even started, questioning whether forestry management practices have been effective in preventing fires from getting this big.

He香蕉视频直播檚 watched flames 香蕉视频直播� that he said could have been easily stopped 香蕉视频直播� take out Eden香蕉视频直播檚 corrals or vital fencing that separates range land.

香蕉视频直播淧eople are going to be cleaning up this mess until Christmas,香蕉视频直播� he says.