Tartar Fire Devastates Idaho Ranchers and Scorches 158,000 Acres

Fire in Washington County Scorches 158,000 Acres and Destroys Hay Supplies

Morning fog lifted over a family feedlot in Washington County, Idaho, as Bruce Winegar unloaded hay, weeks after the Tartar Fire darkened the skies. The blaze tore a 20-mile path across the county in just two short hours, bearing down on the small town of Weiser. Tristan Winegar, who works alongside Bruce in their family cattle operation, watched the winds shift with few options left. “And as soon as that wind started, the only thing you could do is get out of the way,” Tristan Winegar told Market to Market.

Ranchers stood by as the summer inferno consumed ungrazed forage crops, hay bales, water troughs, and miles of fencing. The Winegar family lost 90 head of cattle in the fire, which ultimately scorched 158,000 acres. Beyond the immediate livestock losses, the devastation rippled across farm operations in the region. Carl Hayes, president of the neighboring Payette County Farm Bureau, stepped in to help move cows out of the fire’s path. “There’s lots of facets that it really messes up families, ranch’s life there for several years,” Hayes noted to Market to Market.

Ranchers, firefighters rebuild trust while battling Tartar Fire in Idaho

Drought Pressures Regional Feed Markets as Neighbors Step In

Finding replacement feed and fencing materials across the Northwest has proven difficult in the wake of the disaster. Western drought conditions had already inflated hay prices as out-of-state buyers absorbed local inventory. “There is a tremendous push for hay right now,” Hayes explained. “One of my dairymen told me that they were offering $125 an acre to graze corn stalks this year. And it just tells you how hard of a push there is for places for cattle to go.”

Despite tight supplies and severe losses, regional solidarity emerged across county lines. Ranchers in five surrounding counties donated hay to affected operations, including the Winegars, helping them work toward recovery. “There were a few homes that were lost, which is very devastating and I feel for those people,” Tristan Winegar said. “But I will say that one good thing that came from the fire was the outpouring of love from the community.”