ANDERSON BRIDGE FIRE South of Kilgore on Steer Creek & Snake River

[Pat Stout]

On the evening of Mar.12, a fire broke out 9 miles south of Kilgore around Steer Creek. It moved down Steer Creek and involved the west side of the Snake River crossing the stream to the east side canyon below the Prairie Club, the housing development to the south and the north Snake Falls Ranch pasture by the old Ranch HQ/quonset hut all the way to HWY 97. Many fire crews were and are still on the scene as fires in the Steer Creek still smolder. About 16,000 acres burned. No structures lost. Snake Falls all good as I understand. I added a map from the Prairie Club to show movement. I have not heard what started it. Feel free to add any info.

The SRPG donates to the Valentine Fire Department each year.

UPDATE:

This incident is now being deactivated from the Watch Duty map. This will be the final update unless conditions change. March 23rd, 2026. The burn area has been revised to 17,229 acres.

REF: https://app.watchduty.org/i/85489

 

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[Pat Stout]

Not out of the woods yet, but here are some photos of the canyon today from our friends at the Prairie CLub.

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[Crafty]

Fire burned north pasture from Pines Reserve homes down to Old Ranch House road and then stopped there. Tried to cross 97 but crews were there to stop it. Lots of under brush burned in river canyon but relatively little damage for what could have been. Still some spots and wind is not helping. Blessed there wasn’t more damage.

Gary Craft

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[Pat Stout]

Here are a few photos from after the snow and melting. Fire certainly burned a fair amount of low story plants, bushes and small trees while impinging on the bigger trees as seen with some Ponderosa pines.One of the SRPG’s efforts should be to cut out smaller cedars adjacent to pines in order to reduce the risk of “step ladder” ascension of fire into the crowns of pines or hardwoods especially in gullies that create a firepath between grasslands and canyon vegetation.

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[Pat Stout]

More pics courtesy of Keith Dittrich.

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[Pat Stout]

A few more courtesy K. Dittrich. Out of state fire fighters, the Islands (unburned) and burn area.

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[Pat Stout]

Photos April 1st courtesy of jpstout. As you can see, there is greening up in areas of burn which will help with erosion control. Having gone through the burn near Hyannis on the same day, that burn is currently at risk for erosion due being black – absolutely no vegetation to be seen

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[Pat Stout]

The fire was fast fortunately. Surface and low story vegetation took a hit for sure, but spared much of the overstory. With no buildings burned down and no lives lost, it is all positive from here. The native prairie came about with fire helping to mold its resilience and regenerative characteristics. In just a few weeks after snowfall plants are popping up. There are small bluestem (expected in this pasture), penstemons, broadleaf plants as well as the ubiquitous bluegrass which colonizes much of the sandhills. Importantly, the litter remains in between plants, some burned and some not. This is important as this litter layer is vital to retaining moisture and preventing erosion.

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[Pat Stout]

With regards to pasture management and grazing, here is an update from the UNL/Extension service. Of course, what we do this year is predicated on Mother Natures actions.

Published: April 1, 2025 | Updated: March 19, 2026
Managing Burned Pastures After a Wildfire- How to Graze

By: Bethany Johnston, Nebraska Extension Educator, Jerry Volesky, Extension Range and Forage Specialist, Mitch Stephenson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Range Management Specialist

Wildfires can leave producers wondering how to manage burned pastures, but the good news is that perennial grasses are resilient and will recover.

How Wildfires Affect Grasslands

Dormant Season Fires (Winter/Early Spring): If a wildfire occurs when grasses are dormant (like in late February), the grass buds that sprout in spring should be unharmed.
Growing Season Fires (May–August): If a wildfire burns during the growing season, grasses suffer more damage because they are actively growing.
Drought Conditions: If pastures experienced drought last year and dry conditions continue this spring and summer, recovery will be harder. May and June rainfall is critical for regrowth and should guide range management decisions. More conservative measures may need to be taken if wildfire is coupled with drought.
Increase in Annual Weeds: Following a fire, an increase in annual weeds is common. This is normal and temporary.

Grazing Strategies After a Wildfire

“Recommendations for grazing after a wildfire used to be a lot more conservative,” says Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension Range Specialist. Recent research suggests that grazing restrictions do not need to be as strict as previously thought. However, these key strategies should be followed:

Protect the Soil

Fire increases the risk of wind and water erosion. Residual (standing dead plants) and litter (dead plants covering the soil surface) are removed in a fire, which increases the amount of bare ground following a wildfire or prescribed burn.
The goal is to build up biomass in the pasture to protect the soil from wind/water erosion. Recent research in the eastern Nebraska Sandhills (Barta Brothers Ranch) evaluating dormant season prescribed fire (not the same as wildfire, but similar response) has not seen differences in grass growth in the summer following a fire. According to Mitchell Stephenson, Nebraska Extension Range Specialist, the big difference is the amount of carry over plant material (standing dead and litter) which increases the amount of bare ground following a wildfire or prescribed burn.

Delay Grazing & Reduce Stocking Rates

Wait as long as possible before grazing to allow residual plant material to rebuild and protect the soil.
In a normal precipitation year, delay turnout by 1–2 months.
Reduce stocking rates by 20–40% in normal years and even more during drought conditions. The longer you wait to graze, the less you need to reduce stocking rates. If you wait until September or later, you can graze at full stocking rates since plant residual/litter has been established to cover bare soil.

Monitor Rainfall in May & June

Good early-season precipitation helps grasses recover quickly, often making burn areas hard to spot by mid-summer.

Continued drought will reduce grass production, requiring more conservative grazing practices.

If your pasture is dominated by cool-season grasses (like smooth brome), a quick grazing in early spring, sometimes called a “flash grazing” can help knock down smooth brome (cheat grass) and promote growth of warm-season grasses.
Next year in 2027, pastures should return to normal grazing rates, pending drought conditions.

Assistance Programs
Emergency or disaster programs for wildfire recovery may be available through your local NRCS or FSA office. Contact them to express interest and check for available support.

Article by Bethany Johnston, Nebraska Extension, Livestock Systems Educator; Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension, Range & Forage Specialist; and Mitch Stephenson, Nebraska Extension, Range Management Specialist.

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