Ron McCartney and Kim Dummermuth (l-r), both of Elgin, were among approximately 45 northeast Iowa farmers to travel to a ranch near Ashland, Kan., to help recovery efforts from devastating fires that destroyed over 1.6 million acres across the dry Kansas land. Last week, the group embarked on the two-day journey to help tear down and replace two miles of fenceline on one of the ranches affected. (submitted photo)
'That's what farmers do'
Zakary Kriener
News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com
The story begins in March. A recipe that began with brittle-dry grass conditions, a few sparks, and millions of acres of Midwestern land stretched across Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado ended in devastation for thousands of farmers and ranchers.
With 6 percent humidity and over 70 mph winds that fateful spring morning, multiple blazes broke out across the four-state area, but none as big as the Starbuck Fire.
“The fires were so big and fast-moving that many ranchers had only a half-hour notice before the flames would reach their ranch,” explained Elgin farmer Ron McCartney, a nearly 40-year agricultural veteran. “All they could do was try to drive away from the fires and hope the wind would not switch directions and enter their path.”
In total, seven individuals from Texas and Kansas died in the fires as they tried to save their cattle. The fire blackened over 1.6 million acres across the four-state area and caused millions of dollars worth of damage, a figure that is higher than the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina.
“There were farmers who lost their entire ranch and their entire livelihood,” commented fellow farmer Kim Dummermuth of Elgin, who has over 40 years of experience farming in northeast Iowa. “I got a call from a good friend of mine who was putting together a group of northeast Iowa farmers to travel to the affected area and help with relief efforts. It didn’t take much persuading for me; if something tragic happens here, neighbors come together to help one another out. That’s what farmers do, so I agreed to make the trip.”
