After the Big Horn Fire

Lone cow venturing across the baren landscape for hay and water, smoke in the distance as the ground still smolders.

In July of 2024, the Big Horn Fire moved through our region and our ranch and changed the landscape in ways that are still unfolding.

It burned roughly 3,400 acres of Pine Creek Ranches’ ground. About 20 miles of pasture fence. Seven outbuildings. What had taken decades to build was altered in days.

There’s no neat way to describe a loss like that. It was devastating. Not just in what was lost, but in what suddenly demanded attention, patience, and resolve.

Reconstruction has been ongoing ever since. Fence by fence. Structure by structure. Decision by decision. Some days progress looks like visible change. Other days it looks like simply showing up again.

What the fire did not take was our commitment to this land or our belief in its ability to recover. We continue to rebuild with intention, not urgency for the sake of speed. Our goal isn’t to return to what was, but to create something even stronger moving forward.

Ranching teaches resilience whether you ask for the lesson or not. This one arrived by fire, and we’re meeting it with steady hands and long vision.

Until next time,

Ashley

Shane & Nora look over burned outbuildings toward the original homestead.