Ranchers in eastern Oregon say they have already lost dozens of cattle to wildfires burning across the state.



Scott Anderson, a spokesman for the Oregon Cattlemen's Association, said several have reported finding 20 dead cattle.



"By the time these wildfires are put out, there is no telling how many cattle will have perished," Anderson said.



Bill Wilber of Burns, who runs a 400-head herd on 10,000 acres near Burns, said he found seven dead cows and 13 dead calves and expects to find more on rangeland torched by the Buzzard complex of fires.

At last estimate, the Buzzard fires had burned through 272,352 acres in Malhuer County and were 20 percent contained. Like many other fires, they were started by lightning Monday morning. Nearly 1,100 firefighters are battling the blaze.



Wilber also has found numerous injured cattle, or as he called them, "walking wounded." One calf he found had no visible injuries, but was "totally traumatized," he said.



"It's a heartbreaker," he said. "When you get a fire like this there are holes that fill with ash and if they step in that hole it may be a foot deep and hot as hell in the bottom."



Wilber said he can't get out into the burned range because the ground is still too hot for horses to travel across. The cattle he discovered were found while riding a four-wheeled vehicle.



He said the monetary loss could be devastating. His cattle are slated to be sold in October, but at specified weight. Without forage — and because some may be too injured or traumatized to eat — they might not be purchased. Injured cattle, if they can be saved, can run up large veterinarian bills.



For now, he's got to wait.



"As soon as the ground cools we're going to get out there with some cowboys,'' he said. "We don't want them to suffer."

--Stuart Tomlinson