MEADE, KANSAS (RFD NEWS) — Firefighters across southwest Kansas are battling six active wildfires that have now burned more than 100,000 acres across Meade and Clark counties as dangerous fire conditions continue across the Plains.
New video sent to RFD News by Kasey Friesen shows cattle moving through blackened pastureland as producers race to respond to the fast-moving fires.
Friesen told RFD News they were “about to lose power” and were “hustling to get some things done” as conditions rapidly evolved on the ground.
According to the Kansas Forest Service, the fires remain active, with out-of-state task forces now arriving to assist local crews with suppression efforts.
Wildfire Threat Extends Across the Plains
The Kansas fires are part of a broader wildfire outbreak stretching across the Plains, including the Texas Panhandle, where crews made major progress over the weekend battling the Hunggate Fire. As of Monday morning, the Hunggate Fire had burned more than 34,000 acres but was reported 95 percent contained.
Video from The Silo at Happy shows firefighters working to extinguish remaining hotspots as smoke continues drifting across scorched fields and damaged infrastructure.
Strong winds helped fuel rapid fire growth in recent days, destroying power poles, grazing land, and pasture in the fire’s path.
Drought Raising Concerns About Herd Liquidation
Persistent drought conditions continue to fuel wildfire risks across the region, but analysts say the lack of moisture is also creating growing concerns about further liquidation of cattle herds. Livestock analyst Sam Hudson says ongoing drought and market uncertainty could continue pressuring producers in the months ahead.
“I just don’t see any way around it. I think we’re too far into this thing at this point, and I think it’s going to be more about the pace of it,” Hudson explains. “And on the back end, you know, what are we going to see for herd expansion along the way? If you’re declining on the demand side, it’s kind of that double-edged sword the whole way, and maybe the market can be somewhat tenable. Keep an eye on any headlines if we start to change rhetoric on the border or anything else in that regard.”
Producers and traders will receive another snapshot of the cattle industry later this week when the USDA releases its latest Cattle on Feed report on Friday afternoon.
