Oregon's Wildfire Season Pushes Ranchers to Evacuate Cattle The smell of smoke and ash hangs heavy over Oregon's high desert, a constant reminder of the threat posed by wildfires that seem to be getting worse each year.
For generations, ranchers have built their livelihoods on this unforgiving land, but the arrival of summer brings an existential risk: the loss of cattle and habitat destruction.
Ranching in Oregon dates back to the state's pioneer days. In the 1850s, Robert Moore and his family arrived in search of free land and opportunities to raise livestock on the vast open ranges.