WLP Update: SODA Wildfire + Impacted Idaho Wild Horses

Friends… as promised, we are offering this update to our WLP report from August 21 regarding the SODA Wildfire SW of Boise and impacted Idaho Wilds.

The Idaho BLM will begin emergency gathers in the morning on impacted Hardtrigger, Sands Basin and Black Mountain Herd Management Areas (HMAs). In total 285,000 acres of SW Idaho rangeland has burned, including the entirety of Hardtrigger and Sands Basin HMAs. Read initial WLP Special Report for SODA wildfire devastation details posted in The Dodo: http://bit.ly/dodo-sodafire

There will be one public observation day on August 27 as gather begins on Sands Basin HMA. There is a suitable pocket of unburned vegetation where Idaho BLM feels they can situate interested public without causing disruption and additional stress to wild horses.

In total, approximately 285 horses will be removed. All wilds on Hardtrigger and Sands Basin HMAs will be removed due to total loss of their range and vegetation, and roughly 65 wild horses will be removed from Black Mountain HMA which saw a 1/3 of rangeland lost to fire. Approximately 15 wild horses will be returned to Black Mountain to reflect low-AML (Appropriate Management Level) of 30 wilds for the this HMA.

Idaho Wilds will be moved to the Boise Corrals which are situated on 20 acres. Due to Idaho wilds extended stay while rangeland recovers, required care and monitoring, these pens have been re-designed and enlarged to handle this number of wild horses, which totals 101,375+ square feet of corral space.

While WLP had advocated for keeping family bands together, Idaho BLM feels it is not feasible to keep them intact due to risk of infighting, resulting injury, and because they will NOT be gelding wild horses to be returned to their respective HMAs, hence separation also remedies any extracurricular activity (breeding) while in temporary facilities. That said, wild moms and their babes will remain together, and for that we are very appreciative. Idaho BLM will offer public tours at the Boise Wild Horse Corrals on Monday, August 31 from 1- 2 p.m.

In closing here is a recent photo from the range taken by the Idaho Burned Area Emergency Response Team, along with photo above from our initial WLP report. We will continue to update as this situation progresses, and thank you again for your kindness, support, patience and understanding as logistics continue to unfold. 

Andrea Maki, Founder/President. Wild Love Preserve

Read as Published in The Dodo: http://bit.ly/dodo-sodafire