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Farmers help during California wildfires

Farmers help during California wildfires

One Utah producer collected several bags of feed and other supplies

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

The U.S. ag community is rallying around peers impacted by devastating wildfires in California.

Since the wildfire season started on Aug 1., the California fires have burned more than 1.6 million acres of land and displaced livestock, horses and pets.

Melissa Zobell, a farmer and horse rescuer from Sanpete County, Utah, knows what producers in California are going through.

“We had three wildfire evacuations in four weeks this summer,” she told Farms.com, referring to the Coal Hollow, Hilltop and Pole Creek fires that burned more than 20,000 acres combined.

A conversation with a horse hauler spurred the idea to collect goods for California farmers.

The hauler, Shelly Klug, called her Sunday afternoon “and said she was going from Utah to California after she dropped off my horses and asked if I had any bags of feed I wanted to donate,” Zobell said.

By Tuesday morning, Zobell had accumulated about 6,000 lbs. of feed, and cash donations which she used to buy cat food, dog food, blankets and other supplies.

“My phone was ringing off the hook with people who wanted to help out,” she said.

Once loaded, the supplies traveled to the affected areas.

“(It) went straight to ground zero,” she said.

Other farmers from outside of California are also helping.

Reno Sparks Horse Helpers in Reno, Nev., collected hay and feed for livestock, as well as gift cards for displaced residents.

“It’s the right thing to do,” Elizabeth Tucker, a donation coordinator, told KOLO Monday. “It is a simple thing to do for people who have lost everything.”

Producers from other parts of California have donated supplies as well.

Farmers from McArthur, Calif. donated 520 bales of hay to other farmers Butte County, and a local trucking company delivered the supplies.

The Weather Channel photo


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