Grazing Away Wildfire Risk? Congress Considers Cattle For Wildfire Suppression

More than 1,000 cows and sheep died when the 2024 Remmington fire scorched almost 200,000 acres in south-central Montana. If proposed federal grazing policies become law, those livestock could be considered firefighters instead of fire victims.

Under federal proposals floated by both Congress and cabinet agencies this spring, livestock could become major players in wildfire suppression efforts by literally eating the fuel before it burns. However, current research indicates the results could vary widely depending on what landscape and climate are involved. And critics say the revised policies...