This plot of land was spared the Murphy Blaze despite the contiguous fuel. Unfortunately, the wildlife was not spared the similar fate of gregarious relations between ranchers and the agencies charged with rehab.
Decades of livestock influenced management at Jarbidge has compelled BLM to plant Crested Wheatgrass (CWG), the tall exotic grass shown at left, for rehabilitation efforts. But rehab for what? Public land managers tout the plant for resisting cheatgrass incursion (that golden carpet surrounding the CWG) ~ it didn't work, and rarely does when cattle drag their feet ~, ranchers like it for inflating cattle stocking rates. The plant's heightened biomass (thus fuel) is measured right alongside other forage despite being a last resort for cattle, who prefer to "utilize" natives before reluctantly nibbling CWG.