Grazing returns to federal lands affected by 2015 wildfires

SALEM – Ranchers in Idaho and Oregon have begun grazing their cattle again on some of the nearly 280,000 acres burned in wildfires in 2015.

The Capital Press reported the Bureau of Land Management has allowed grazing to resume on 48 of the 84 pastures on allotments affected by the fires in southwest Idaho and southeast Oregon.

Bureau officials say they expect a decision to be made on the remaining 36 pastures by the end of December.

The bureau closed off the land for grazing for two growing seasons under a restoration plan following the fire.

Officials say the bureau plans to make the land more resilient to fires by maintaining 30 miles of targeted grazing fuel breaks, which creates buffer areas on each side of roads.