LAST EDITED ON Jul-05-12 AT 09:23AM (MST)[p]bonepiler, thanks so much for your update...I appreciate your take on the situation. It sounds like you have seen firsthand the area affected and it appears from your analysis that there is good news.
KSL is reporting that over 22,000 acres have burned so far. Most people don't understand that fires not only destroy existing feed, but the very plants themselves. It takes a long time for an average rangeland to return to its original condition with critical habitat oftentimes taking years to rebuild. For example, bitterbrush and sagebrush may take decades to recover, thus creating a problem that exceeds habitat carrying capacity during winter months.
Some mule deer, such as those in the Wolf Den range, are migratory and rely on traditional movements throughout the area to get food and cover requirements they need. A disruption in these movement patterns resulting from loss of winter range can create lots of problems for mule deer. The results of a fire may indeed eventually be positive, but many don't understand the difficulties and length of time involved in winter range recovery after a catastrophic fire.
Please keep us updated.