The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Oregon’s Vale District has announced a plan to conduct an emergency gather of wild horses in the Three Fingers herd management area (HMA).

The Cherry Road Wildfire, that started Aug. 21, has burned approximately 90% of the Wildhorse Basin pasture, where more than half of the estimated 279-horse herd resides. The remaining horses reside in the Riverside pasture. Currently, the remaining 10% of the Wildhorse Basin pasture has limited water resources or forage.

For this reason, the BLM’s Vale District is planning to gather approximately 150 wild horses and transport them to the Wild Horse Corral Facility in Hines, Oregon. It is estimated that between 80 and 120 wild horses will remain in the Riverside pasture in the southern end of the HMA.

The removed horses will be prepared to be included in the adoption program. The appropriate management level for the area is 75 to 150 wild horses