Did you know the BLM wants to wipe out native wild horses and burros in California and Nevada?

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Protect Mustangs

Did you know about the important April 25th meeting in Cedarville, Ca.? Can you attend to champion indigenous wild horses and historic burros? They will talk about wiping out the majority of wild horses left on northeastern California’s Twin Peaks range due to the 2012 Rush Fire.

“The changes could result in amendments affecting public lands managed by the BLM’s Alturas, Eagle Lake and Surprise field offices”, said Jeff Fontana, a spokesman for the federal agency, according to the Sacramento Bee.Who can go to this important meeting?

The BLM will push through the anti-wild horse plan unless advocates, lawyers and members of the public go to voice their support for native wild horses to live wild and free on public land, unharassed and in genetically viable herds.

Why is the BLM doing this? They are fast tracking energy projects on wild horse and burro herd management areas (public sanctuaries) as well as doing back room deals on water rights and more.

” . . . The Modoc-Washoe Experimental Stewardship Steering Committee will also discuss wild horse and burro management in northeastern California. A committee exploring options for reopening Cedarville’s lumber mill also will present a report, Fontana said.

The steering committee is one of three nationally established by Congress to advise federal officials on stewardship issues. It works on a full consensus basis to promote innovative range management approaches.

The public meeting starts at 9 a.m. at the BLM office at 602 Cressler St. in Cedarville.”

A Win! ~ Twin Peaks Roundup on hold ~ Keep the pressure on

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Protect Mustangs

Twin Peaks wild horses counting on your help (Photo of “Magic” © G. Gregg)

Happy Thanksgiving!

California-based Protect Mustangs has been working hard to stop the Twin Peaks roundup once we brought you the news of the Rush Fire last summer. We are grateful several wonderful advocates such as Craig Downer, Grandma Gregg, Jesica Johnston, Barbara Clarke, Monika Courtney, R.T Fitch, Debbie Coffey and many others have joined the fight to protect the Twin Peaks wild horses on the range.

“We oppose rounding up and removing native wild horses from the Twin Peaks HMA especially now that they can play a key role in restoring the land. It’s time the BLM use good science and cut down on invasive techniques that cause global warming. Wild horses and burros can heal and reseed the range after the wildfire so let them do it.”

Keep contacting your elected officials across the country to educate them about how the Twin Peaks wild horses can heal the land after the fire. Let them know these federally protected wild horses deserve to remain on their range. Tell them removals are cruel and costly–warehousing them for decades is not sustainable. Request the Twin Peaks roundup be cancelled. Thank you for helping California’s wild horses and burros.

Please make a donation to help Protect Mustangs continue our work for the wild horses. Thank you.

Below is the email we received today from Ken Collum at the BLM.

All my best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving,

Anne

Anne Novak

Executive Director of Protect Mustangs

——– Original Message ——–
Subject: Twin Peaks Response
From: “Collum, Kenneth R”
Date: Tue, November 20, 2012
To: Anne Novak protectmustangs

There will be no imminent roundup operation in the Twin Peaks Herd Management Area (HMA). The situation will be re-evaluated this January.

HMA population information obtained from September’s aerial inventory will be available soon.

Ken Collum

Field Manager

Eagle Lake Field Office

2950 Riverside Dr.

Susanville, CA. 96130

Ph: 530 252 5374

Cell: 530 260 0158

Breaking News: California’s last stronghold for native wild horses threatened with removal

Posted on November 3, 2012 by Protect Mustangs

Teen wants Twin Peaks mustangs to remain on the range for educational opportunities

SAN FRANCISCO (November 3, 2012)–Protect Mustangs opposes the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) proposal to roundup and remove native wild horses from Twin Peaks–the largest herd management area near Susanville, California. The California-based preservation group is planning a protest against the proposed Twin Peaks roundup. The San Francisco protest date and time will be announced after the Presidential election.

“Americans value California’s treasured herd of native wild horses, with cavalry remount influences, known as the Twin Peaks horses,” explains Anne Novak, executive director of Protect Mustangs. “These mustangs are survivors and play an essential role in creating biodiversity. Native horses heal the land after wildfires and from livestock over-grazing. This ultimately benefits livestock too.”

Native wild horses have survived in nature for hundreds of years and do not need to be rescued after a wildfire when there is forage and water out there. If they need extra forage or water then the BLM can bring them forage. It’s much cheaper than rounding them up and warehousing them in the Midwest–where they risk being sold to a slaughter middle man someday.

If the land needs healing after the fire then engage the latest science to use native wild horses to help heal the land and reverse desertification.

After a wildfire burned through the HMA for days, advocates conducted a study documenting the forage, water and terrain conditions. There is water and forage out there.

“Going to the Twin Peaks HMA is like stepping inside a living wildlife biology museum of the high desert,” says 15 year old Irma Novak, Director of the Discover Mustangs Project. “After the 2010 roundup, it’s hard to find wild horses to observe because the range is so huge and there aren’t many mustangs left.”

“American youth needs to have access to the natural world to round out their education,” adds Novak. “We want the Twin Peaks wild horses to remain on the range. If they need to remove any animals to heal the land after the fire then they should remove the destructive grazers who ruin the riparian areas–the cattle.”

The vast 798,000 acre Twin Peaks HMA is one and a half hours north of Reno and approximately 250 miles from the Bay Area making it an accessible option to observe treasured wild horses in their native habitat.

Irma Novak, Director of Discover Mustangs (Photo © Carolyn Orndorff)

# # #

Media Contacts:

Anne Novak, 415-531-8454 Anne@ProtectMustangs.org

Kerry Becklund, 510-502-1913 Kerry@ProtectMustangs.org

Links of interest:

Native wild horses: http://protectmustangs.org/?page_id=562

Princeton Study: Wildlife and cows can be partners not enemies in search for food: http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S32/93/41K10/index.xml?section=featured

California Twin Peaks Rush Fire Report: https://www.box.com/s/yf5mucjsowlawk5z3kyn

Discover Mustangs Project: http://discovermustangs.org/

Twin Peaks HMA: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/prog/wild_horse_and_burro/hma-main/HMA-CA-242.html

Letter to BLM asking for Twin Peaks roundup specifics and stating our position to bring them aid in the field as needed but keep them on the HMA: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=2864

Petition to de-fund the roundups:https://www.change.org/petitions/united-states-congress-de-fund-the-roundups

Twin Peaks HMA wildfire ~ 300K acres burned already

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Protect Mustangs

Twin Peaks HMA Rush Fire (Photo © Phil Perkins)

Rush Fire Update

Tuesday, August 21, 2012 8 pm

Northern Rockies Incident Management Team – Doug Turman, IC

Fire Information Office:

530-710-8568

Staffed: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm

Started: August 12, 2012 at 6:42 pm

Cause: Lightning

Fuels: Fire is burning in sagebrush, juniper, and grass

Estimated Size: 313,911 acres

Containment: 50%

Expected Containment: 8/28/2012

Committed Resources: Approximately 832 people

Structures Threatened: 9 (6 residences; 1 commercial; 2 outbuildings)

Structures Damaged or Destroyed: 1 (barn)

Injuries: 2 (both in fire camp)

Updated Rush Fire Map in Twin Peaks HMA

Location: The fire is located on Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Northern California District (BLM-CA-NOD,) Eagle Lake Field Office, approximately 15 miles southeast of Ravendale, California. The fire is burning near a major natural gas line and transfer station, and power transmission lines that supply the Reno area and adjacent to Highway 395.

Summary: Today firefighters made excellent progress in continuing line building and mop-up around the perimeter of the Rush Fire. Fortunately the predicted critical fire weather conditions occurred for only a short time and fire spread was minimal. Most of the growth occurred in the northeast part of the fire where firefighters made progress, but have not completely encircled the fire in the SOB/Burnt Lake areas. Crews will continue line building in that area tonight and tomorrow. Tomorrow, aircraft (small air tankers and helicopters) will be used to help firefighters in this effort. The remainder of the fireline will be patrolled and any heat found next to the fireline will be put out. Suppression repair (mainly smoothing and water barring dozer lines) will begin on some cool portions of the fireline.

Area and Road Closures in Effect: On August 17, the BLM issued a closure order for public lands in the fire area to protect public health and safety. The closed area is bounded by Highway 395 on the west, the Sand Pass Road on the east, and the Wendel Road on the south. The new northern boundary for the public land closure is the Juniper Ridge, Tuledad, Stage Road, Marr Road, and Buckhorn Road extending to Nevada Highway 447 in Washoe County. Routes closed within this closure area include the Ramhorn Springs, Rye Patch Road, Buckhorn, Shinn Ranch, Stoney, Deep Cut, Smoke Creek, Skedaddle Ranch, Dry Valley, and Brubeck roads. The Ramhorn Springs Campground and the Dodge Reservoir Campground also is closed. Today, August 21^st Washoe County closed the Buffalo Meadows Road to public use. This will allow firefighters better access and help protect firefighter and public safety.

Travelers along the Highway 395 corridor, please use caution where fire crews and equipment are working in the fire area.

Remarks: NOTE: Use of chainsaws on public lands managed by BLM in NE California and far northwest Nevada is suspended effective Monday, Aug. 20, due to extreme fire danger. Fire officials remind residents and visitors that fire restrictions are in effect for public lands and national forests in northeast California and far northwest Nevada. Campfires are permitted only in posted recreation sites.

For additional fire information, please go to InciWeb @ http://inciweb.org/incident/3151/

###

Twin Peaks fire update

Posted on August 20, 2012 by Protect Mustangs

Twin Peaks HMA Rush Fire on Rye Patch Road August 18, 2012 (Photo by BLM)

Rush Fire Update

August 20, 2012 8 am

Turman’s Northern Rockies Incident Management Team

Fire Information Office:

530-710-8568

Staffed: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm

Started: August 12, 2012 at 6:42 pm

Cause: Lightning

Fuels: Fire is burning in sagebrush, juniper, and grass

Estimated Size: 270,683 acres

Containment: 50%

Expected Containment: 8/25/2012

Committed Resources: Approximately 677 people

Structures Threatened: 9 (6 residences; 1 commercial; 2 outbuildings)

Structures Damaged or Destroyed: 1 (barn)

Injuries: 2 (both in fire camp)

Summary: Line construction and suppression efforts will continue along the north eastern edge of the fire along the Buckhorn Road. The fire remains active along this edge. Burning operations on the southern edge of the fire near Wendel Road were successfully completed yesterday, and crews worked late into the night. Today, crews will concentrate suppression efforts along the north eastern flank, south of Buckhorn Road; the eastern edge east of the Rush Creek Ranch, and in the Wendel Road area. Additionally, crews will continue mop up and fire line construction along other areas of the fire’s perimeter. Air support will available and used as needed.

Tomorrow there is a Fire Weather Watch forecasted for afternoon winds from the SW approaching 30 to 35 mph.

Today at 0600 the Northern Rockies Incident Management Team assumed command from NorCal Team 2. Transitions of this sort are common, and operations should remain seamless.

Travelers along the Highway 395 corridor, please use caution where fire crews and equipment are working in the fire area.

Remarks: Fire officials remind residents and visitors that fire restrictions are in effect for public lands and national forests in northeast California. Campfires are permitted only in posted recreation sites. Chainsaws may not be used after 1:00pm daily.

For additional fire information, please go to InciWeb @ http://inciweb.org/incident/3151/

###

Is the wild horse family trapped by fencing in the wildfire?

Posted on August 18, 2012 by Protect Mustangs

Today Grandma Gregg wrote to us with the following news:

Twin Peaks HMA Rush Fire on Rye Patch Road August 18, 2012 (Photo by BLM)

She said her daughter contacted Jeff Fontana, BLM public affairs officer, to tell the BLM the location where the wild horse family, known as Magic’s Band, lives. She expressed her concern they would be trapped in the fire due to the extensive livestock fencing and cross fencing throughout the area.

Here is Magic and his family living in harmony before the fire.

Magic – grey stallion – son and look-alike of the great herd stallion BraveHeart, who was captured with his family in the 2010 roundup.

Hope – Magic’s mare and true love as you can see in the pic

Harley – Hope’s 2 or 3 year old colt

Curley and Shiney, two bay bachelor stallions and great buddies (not pictured)

The BLM official assured Grandma’s family that the horses would be able to get out through the gates because the ranchers and firemen had been instructed to leave them open.

Grandma’s family is very concerned that the wild horse family will not see the open gates in the smoke and concerned they could get stuck in the unsafe cattle guards. Many people are concerned Magic’s family would have been trapped by fencing while the fire rushed through the area.

She shared photos with us showing exactly where Magic and his family (eight horses total) lived before the fire went through the area this week.

Grandma took these photos last year standing in the same place at the top of the fenced “pasture” but looking in different directions. She noticed fences everywhere in every direction–a trap.

View #1

There is no fencing in this photograph – this would be looking the direction (south) that the fire would have come up toward them – fences are behind and right and left – good pic that shows where the fire would have come from -wildfires normally burn fast UP hills so the fire would have back them right up to the fences.

View #2

View #3

Here is observation peak – per the fire maps this is ALL burned now.

View #4

View #5

As of Saturday night Grandma has not heard back from Fontana about the welfare of Magic’s band.

Livestock destroys the range and BLM tries to blame the wild horse

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Protect Mustangs

The PEER report sets the record straight–the livestock is ruining the range.

Geothermal and other extractive industries are also profiting off the Twin Peaks range but BLM avoids mentioning this.

Despite the BLM spin that all the Twin Peaks horses are adopted into good homes, we observed what was going on during our visit. Many wild horses from the Twin Peaks roundup were sold. They fetch a lot of money when a kill-buyer picks them up for cheap ($25) at BLM and flips them to slaughter. Pictured above are some of the American wild horses who were rounded up–lost their families, lost their home on the range and were “sold”.

Join Rachel Fazio at Twin Peaks hearing 2/24

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Protect Mustangs

Protect Mustangs invites you to join us showing our support for wild horses and burros at a pivotal hearing to defend their rights.

The Twin Peaks hearing has been rescheduled for Friday February 24, 2012 at 10:00 a.m.

Location: United States District Court

Eastern District of California

501 I Street

Sacramento, California

The case to protect wild horses and burros will be argued in front of Morrison England Jr., Courtroom #7 which is on the 14th floor.

There is paid parking across the street in the Amtrack parking lot.

The Courthouse opens at 9:00 a.m. – if you want to be guaranteed a seat you should arrive early so that you can get through security.

Bring friends, signs and banners to show your support for their freedom to roam the American West.

Protect Mustangs™

Forever wild and free™

Tag Archives: Twin Peaks