Marina
This past summer, Colorado endured several major wildfires that scorched vast portions of land. Although the immediate danger has faded, the recovery process for ranchers and farmers is proving far more challenging than the flames themselves.
Ranchers like 64-year-old Janie VanWinkle, who operates on the Uncompahgre Plateau, are now facing the harsh reality of rebuilding their livelihoods.
Wildfires Leave Lasting Scars
According to reports, five significant wildfires burned through an area nearly equal in size to Atlanta, devastating both public and private lands crucial to ranching operations. VanWinkle recalls witnessing flames as high as 100 feet, consuming everything in their path.
“There’s nothing left but rocks and skeletons of trees,” VanWinkle said, describing the landscape as eerie and lifeless.
About 60% of the U.S. Forest Service land leased by VanWinkle’s family for grazing was destroyed. Despite successfully relocating their 1,500 cattle about 10 miles to safety, the ordeal was described as the toughest challenge they’ve ever faced.
Widespread Loss and Financial Strain
Local officials, including Reece Melton from Rio Blanco County, estimate that more than $27 million in damages occurred.
Losses included power line infrastructure vital to the oil and gas sector, washed-out roads, and scorched pastures that may take years to regenerate.
Melton emphasized that while the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) covered 75% of firefighting costs, the long-term recovery will demand additional federal aid.
“One of the biggest challenges is putting all the puzzle pieces together,” Melton explained.
Ranchers are expected to navigate a complex maze of aid applications, reaching out to agencies like the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Farm Service Agency (FSA), and Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) — each with distinct requirements, assessments, and funding criteria. The process has been further complicated by the federal government shutdown, which temporarily halted several assistance programs.
Environmental Fallout and Further Challenges
Although monsoon rains eventually helped extinguish the fires, they triggered flash flooding across burn scars, worsening soil erosion and damaging newly restored areas. Experts warn that such ecological disturbances will have long-term impacts on the landscape and ranching viability.
VanWinkle’s ranch was also hit by extensive fencing losses — a common and costly aftermath of wildfires.
“Replacing a mile of four-strand barbed wire fence can cost around $20,000,” she said, estimating a seven-mile loss on her property.
While she hopes for USDA assistance to fund materials and some labor, the task ahead remains daunting: rebuilding fences across steep, ash-covered terrain.
The wildfires may have been extinguished, but for Colorado’s ranchers, the real battle is just beginning.
With massive property losses, environmental damage, and bureaucratic hurdles, recovery could take years of physical and financial effort.
Ranchers like VanWinkle exemplify the resilience of Colorado’s agricultural community — determined to restore not just their land but their way of life.