The House Draw Fire caused an estimated $25 million in economic damage when it consumed nearly 175,000 acres of mostly private land in Johnson County, a preliminary evaluation found. That figure will almost certainly rise as ranchers in the fire’s path more fully assess their losses and livestock fall ill due to smoke exposure.

While the massive and swift-moving fire did not destroy any homes, it caused extensive damage to local ranching operations including the loss of at

least 590 miles of fencing, which alone has a replacement cost of nearly $12 million. Agricultural producers — the land is home to sheep and cattle ranchers — lost storage and water tanks, outbuildings, feed and equipment, among other things.

'These are multigenerational Wyoming ranch families who have been impacted … these burned acres have a story and a face behind them,' said Johnson County Commission Chairman Bill Novotny.

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Stevens said the grass will grow back and fences can be mended, but when the ranching and wildlife communities suffer, so do local economies.

Pairs will be brought down for the fall around the first of October, he said, and there are hundreds of miles of fence to rebuild before they begin feeding hay, which they expect to do all fall and winter.

Heidi (Long) Stevens, an accomplished photographer, documented the fire and took one photo that was particularly striking of Andy and

their daughter, Paisley, standing on scorched ground.

"Somebody said I need to set a reminder in my phone to go take the same photo in the same place in a year," she said. "I think we’re going to remember these days. This is when the real work begins."

She said looking at the miles of fence to be repaired, it’s easy to become overwhelmed at the tasks that are ahead in what is already an incredibly busy season. She said the amount of support received from the agriculture community around the country has been humbling and a testament to the quality and generosity of the people.

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"We didn't know what we had and what we had lost. All I know is when I topped the hill coming out of Sheridan, the plume of smoke was unbelievable." Johnson County rancher Dave Belus recalls the moment he saw the House Draw fire himself.

Relief efforts are underway in the aftermath of the House Draw fire that burned more than 174,000 acres in eastern Johnson County.

Residents have been eager to help ranchers impacted by the fire and first responders on the fire line through donations of food, money, hay, grazing land and more. Those affected by the fire have lost fences, grass, livestock and outbuildings – there have been no reports of houses lost to or people injured in the blaze.

After a meeting convened last week by Johnson County Commission Chairman Bill Novotny and House District 40 Rep. Barry Crago to coordinate volunteer and fundraising efforts, a few residents came together to form the Johnson County Fire Relief Fund to collect donations and assess needs of affected landowners in the coming weeks.

At that meeting, a packed room of residents – some there to offer assistance, others to hear what assistance would be available for them – heard about privately coordinated relief efforts that are ongoing throughout the region, in addition to federal agency assistance that producers can apply for. Many of those programs require extensive documentation and engagement with agency officials, which can be slow-moving.

"Obviously, you're hearing the speed with which the government is going to move, good or bad,” Novotny said at the meeting. “People need relief and help now.”

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