Ag secretary declares five Nevada counties fire disaster areas

RENO, Nev. - The Clinton administration has declared five Nevada counties disaster areas as a result of last month's rangeland fires that took a fiery toll bigger than the state of Delaware.

Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman wrote Gov. Kenny Guinn today saying that he was declaring Elko, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander and Pershing counties disaster areas.

"This is welcome news for ranchers and farmers who have suffered as a result of the worst wildfires to hit Nevada in recent memory, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said of the declaration.

Reid sought the declaration three weeks ago to secure federal assistance for Nevada ranchers hurt by the fires, especially those who saw their federal grazing allotments go up in smoke.

"Those who live in the affected communities rely on lands that were damaged in the fires to earn a living and these low interest emergency loans will help speed the recovery of their ranches, farms and other businesses," Reid said.

Hardest hit are likely to be ranchers with federal grazing permits, who may need some disaster relief to feed the herds that usually graze on the charred federal land.

In addition, Reid said Nevada may need some federal help to reseed areas and replace road signs, cattle guards and other erosion control devices.

"I am hopeful that in the process of restoring this rangeland that we will take steps to prevent this devastation from recurring by eliminating cheat grass and replanting native vegetation," Reid added.

State officials have said the job of replanting some 2,200 square miles of wildland is daunting.

"The difficulties we face from this disaster are enormous," Gene Kolkman, Ely District manager for the federal Bureau of Land Management, said earlier this week.

Kolkman, who is coordinating the statewide emergency plan, added, "This is the most extensive rangeland reseeding effort ever undertaken in Nevada - and maybe anywhere."

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