There is nothing that can replace first hand (in person) long-term knowledge of an area. Knowing exactly what things look like on the range from year-to-year helps you develop a personal history that carries the natural cycle and how that natural cycle is impacted when something like a mine, pipeline or change to the domestic livestock grazing permit happens. It is obvious that there will be an impact, seeing it over time can help you predict change in that area and those facing similar challenges.
There is also nothing like seeing our wild ones in person. You can see new babies, if gates are closed and if there are other disturbances like people chasing horses on ATVs.
However, if you can’t get to where our wild ones stand, you can still effectively monitor the range and advocate.
Fire
“Jakes Fire” (3 fires in one) Owyhee wild horse complex (NV)
Every summer we hear of increasing droughts, wildfires as more and more wild horses and burros are removed. Often, there will be a direct correlation between wildfires and removals. As an example the years after massive removals of wild horses in the Owyhee Complex (NV), the Martin fire burned over 430,000 acres, the largest loss of wild horse habitat to fire in history, due to an abundance in fuel loads (fire was human caused). They used the Martin fire to remove more horses (below AML) and it is burning again (3 fires combined that are now being called “Jakes fire”).
Colorado
A lot of you are hearing about fires in Colorado and asked about Sand Wash Basin. As we reported post bait trap removal at Sand Wash Basin, the area is really dry. There is forage and two stable waters monitored and running through local advocate groups. However, fire remains a concern.
Anyone traveling on public lands please take precautions. You can monitor fires at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/
Above: Drought monitor this year, close up Colorado
Drought
The US Drought Monitor is an online tool you can use to track drought conditions. You can click on the state of the herd you are tracking to get more detailed mapping. You can use the features below the the current map to get additional information including previous years to compare (below). 
It is easy to see drought this year is worse than last year. When you add in all the new mines and other projects impacting water, things are dicey this year.
You can contact the local BLM office that manages a herd you want to monitor and ask to be on the mailing list for “water hauls” for livestock. BLM has to release some kind of analysis document for water hauls. If you are on the mailing list you will get a copy and can comment that water hauled needs to be available to wild horses/burros and wildlife as well or livestock needs to simply be removed allowing access to existing water for other species that cannot “go home” because they are “home.” You could also say that any gates need to be open to allow wild horses and wildlife the ability to find forage and water without obstruction.
If you find something in your research that has you concerned about access to water, you can also contact wild horse organizations like WHE. Sometimes we will know someone local that can go to the BLM office in person and ask that a situation be resolved.
This is usually the only reference to “drought” you will see when BLM discusses wild horses and removals and claims a lack of forage.
Horses waiting “in line” to make sure the area is cleared of people and other horses before coming in to drink, Sand Wash, 2025
Forage
The Vegetative Response Index can be found by clicking the highlighted text. When you see reports for livestock, this is usually what is referenced and the drought monitor omitted, to say forage is “recovering” or “enough.”
The Drought Monitor alone will be used to remove wild horses. Drought and the Vegetative Response Index will be used to keep cows on the range, approve a water haul only.
When you compare last year and this year, you can see that BLM should have stopped all hot season (summer) domestic livestock grazing in many places this year. This would keep the gates open so other animals can move as conditions change, Instead, we are seeing many “annual emergencies” for wild horses in areas of hot season grazing. If something occurs annually for over 20 years, it is not an emergency, but a neglected issue in management. (We noted some of the rapid removals of wild horses in our rundown a couple of days ago).
When BLM approves these “emergency” roundups of wild horses, you will often see a water haul approved for livestock 4-6 weeks before. Often they will cite “plenty of forage” to justify hauling water for cows, but claim “lack of forage” on the same range to remove wild horses.
The more you monitor the ranges through the paperwork BLM completes, the more contradictions you will find.
Sad Wash Basin, 2025
The only place in management of wild horses and burros where the public has a voice on issues from Appropriate Management Level (AML) through how to address drought where if a water haul can happen for a cow, it can happen for a horse (if triggers are defined). is the Herd Management Area Plan (HMAP).
The HMAP is the equivalent of an Allotment Management Plan (AMP) for livestock that would “inform” the land use plan that water hauling in the area for cows is approved and allow BLM to take a really short route in the paperwork to make it happen.
WHE is continuing to litigate as courts continue to find that BLM has illegally delated creation and updates of HMAPs. We now have to add compliance to HMAPs to our growing list of cases. (Short updates on litigation)
We know there is nothing like the thrill of seeing wild horses in person. But you can still monitor the range even if you cannot get there.
Stay safe this fire season.
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Categories: Wild Horse Education
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