GUERNSEY – While a burn scar remains across much of the land where Pleasant Valley Fire challenged the ingenuity and resourcefulness of firefighters earlier this summer, the long-term impact isn’t so dire. At least for wildlife.
The fire, which consumed an area of nearly 29,000 acres in northeast Platte County and western Goshen County, burned varied swaths of grass, brush, and some lightly forested areas. Firefighters were able to save most lived-in structures, with only one home loss, which was unoccupied at the time and posed a risk for firefighters where it was situated with only one way in or out. However, some outbuildings were consumed by the fire – a necessary choice in the broader scheme of things, considering the scale and nature of the fire, according to Guernsey Rural Fire District chief David Warner.
Just after the fire was suppressed, the clouds opened up with some much-needed rain, causing some grasses and forbs to sprout green shoots, which is a benefit to the land in preparation for winter weather and to prevent erosion of soil. Those green shoots are also good for wildlife.
As local Wyoming Game and Fish wildlife biologist, Keaton Weber, said, the local deer and pronghorn populations should benefit from the late summer/early fall green-up. He said it has been documented doe’s benefit from the extra nutrition and fattening heading into the lean winter months, and usually result in higher survivability rates for their fawns in spring.
Wildlife trails still cross the burned areas and deer can still be spotted munching on available forage, and “a lot of wildlife utilize burn scars post-fire,” Weber said, but reported there have been movements of local herds. Pronghorn were displaced after the fire to the east and northeast, when they typically move that direction in November. Though there isn’t a high-density mule deer population, the herd has moved generally south to the river or northwest of highway 270 where there is better habitat. Local flocks of turkeys moved south towards the river or west towards the state park. Some elk, which spend time near Garnet Mountain east of Whalen Canyon Road, also likely moved west.
Weber also gave another benefit of the fire: it burned a lot of old-growth brush and stands of invasive juniper trees. Weber explained the junipers encroach on stands of native ponderosa pine and aspen groves and out-compete them. “The fire does a good job of [taking out] juniper, and when they are gone, we usually see historic springs come back” he added. Those springs in turn bring another habitat resource for wildlife, and with the old growth gone it lets in more light, a benefit for a variety of native forage.

“That area east of the Whalen Canyon Road has not seen a fire like that in a long time, and can be beneficial,” Weber said, though he added the caveat there is also a danger, post-fire, for invasive annual grasses to take over. Especially if the native species don’t have a chance to out-perform them.
The most prominent of those invasives, which is already in the region, is cheatgrass.
Fortunately, the county weed and pest office and WGFD have been developing plans to combat the pesky invasive grass that sprouts and seeds out early, sticks to passers-by easily, tolerates a variety of climactic conditions, and offers zero nutritional value for wildlife past its short green period. In July, Wyoming governor Mark Gordon also agreed to approve the Bureau of Land Management’s use of seven new herbicides to control noxious weeds and invasive species, including Indaziflam.
Indaziflam is the active ingredient in Rejuvra, a pesticide with a period of effectiveness of up to six years before it needs to be re-applied. Another pesticide, Plateau (glyphosate), has been used with success to hold back cheatgrass infestations by WGFD habitat management crews, but has a short effective period.
Weber said it is amazing to see the native grasses and forbs coming up where the cheatgrass has been treated in the Laramie Mountain range west of Platte County, and the wildlife has thrived with the availability of a more varied and nutritious habitat.
Platte County Weed and Pest Supervisor, Pat Bookout, said the new approval by BLM will allow a better control of cheatgrass on BLM land, which is often adjacent to private land currently being treated with the chemical. Previous to the Bureau’s okay on Indaziflam, the only product that could battle cheatgrass on BLM land had to be sprayed annually. Now, with good grazing management and the ability to use Indaziflam, Bookout said cheatgrass can be held back for approximately five or six years before another application may be needed.
“Cheatgrass can out-compete all native grasses and forbs. It’s one of the biggest concerns that could take over after a fire, so we have to try to get ahead of annual invasives,” Weber warned, adding, “…it could take over completely.”
On that note, Weber encourages landowners to be vigilant on potential invasive species, and to contact the weed and pest or WGFD if they are concerned or need help with habitat management post-fire. He also said it is helpful if landowners contact WGFD on any wildlife movements they may notice.
“Though cheatgrass gets a lot of attention, there are a lot of invasive species. If you see anything growing you haven’t seen before, or if it is out of place, contact the Resource District. We’d be happy to come out and identify the plants and determine if it is an invasive or not,” Bookout said.
Though the landscape is blackened now in the burn scar, and there is minimal forage, in the long run the habitat will be slightly changed – most likely for the better.