A10
OREGON
East Oregonian
Tuesday, August 3, 2021
Coalition seeks relisting of gray wolves in U.S. West
By KEITH RIDLER
The Associated Press
BOISE — Wildlife advo-
cates on Thursday, July 29,
petitioned federal offi cials to
restore federal protections
for gray wolves throughout
the U.S. West after Idaho
and Montana passed laws
intended to drastically cut
their numbers.
Western Watersheds Proj-
ect, WildEarth Guardians
and others sent the petition
to the U.S. Fish and Wild-
life Service. The agency is
supposed to respond within
90 days on whether there is
enough information for a
potential listing under the
Endangered Species Act.
The groups cite unregu-
lated hunting, poaching and
genetic problems involving
small wolf populations.
“ Wo l v e s
remain
completely absent from suit-
able habitats or perilously
close to extinction in many
western states, and the hand-
ful of states surrounding
Yellowstone National Park
are now driving the larger
populations toward extinc-
tion — endangered species
listing — by ramping up wolf
Jacob W. Frank/National Park Service, File
This Nov. 7, 2017, photo provided by the National Park Service shows a wolf in Yellowstone
National Park, Wyoming. Wildlife advocates on Thursday, July 29, 2021, petitioned federal
offi cials to restore federal protections for gray wolves throughout the U.S. West after Idaho
and Montana passed laws intended to drastically cut their numbers.
killing and stripping away
hunting and trapping regula-
tions in Montana, Idaho, and
Wyoming,” said Erik Molvar,
executive director of Western
Watersheds Project.
In May, Idaho Republi-
can Gov. Brad Little signed
a measure lawmakers said
could lead to killing 90%
of the state’s 1,500 wolves
through expanded trapping
and hunting. It took eff ect
July 1.
Lawmakers pushing the
measure, backed by trappers
and the powerful ranching
sector but heavily criticized
by environmental advocates,
often said the state can cut
the number of wolves to 150
before federal authorities
would take over manage-
ment. They said reducing
the population would reduce
attacks on livestock and
boost deer and elk herds.
A primary change in the
new law allows the state to
hire private contractors to kill
wolves and provides more
money for state offi cials to
hire the contractors. The law
also expands killing methods
to include trapping and snar-
ing wolves on a single hunt-
ing tag, using night-vision
equipment, chasing wolves
on snowmobiles and ATVs
and shooting them from heli-
copters. It also authorizes
year-round wolf trapping on
private property.
The state Department
of Fish and Game reported
in February that the wolf
population has held at about
1,500 the past two years. The
numbers were derived in part
by using remote cameras.
About 500 wolves have
been killed in the state in
each of the last two years
by hunters, trappers and
state and federal authorities
carrying out wolf control
measures.
Wildlife authorities in
Montana, following new
laws, have been looking at
changes such as increasing
the number of wolves an indi-
vidual can hunt to between
five and 10. A decision is
expected in August.
Authorities said this year
they expect the state’s wolf
population to decrease from
around 1,150 to between 900
and 950 following a partic-
ularly successful hunting
season. Over 320 wolves
were harvested during the
2020 hunting season —
signifi cantly more than the
preceding eight-year aver-
age of 242 wolves per year,
according to a report released
by the department in June.
The petition seeks to
protect wolves in those two
states as well as Wyoming,
Utah, Oregon, Washington,
Colorado, California, Nevada
and northern Arizona. The
petition said those states are
part of the range of wolves.
“These wolves are at risk
of extinction throughout all
of their range, and unques-
tionably are at risk of imme-
diate extinction in signifi cant
portions of their range,” the
63-page petition states.
The U.S. Fish and Wild-
life Service didn’t immedi-
ately respond to a request
for comment.
Good progress being made in battle against U.S. wildires
The Associated Press
BLY — Firefighters in
Oregon reported good prog-
ress in the battle against the
nation’s largest wildfi re, while
authorities canceled evac-
uation orders near a major
blaze in Northern California
and another on Hawaii’s Big
Island.
Containment of the Boot-
leg Fire in remote Southern
Oregon was up to 84% late
Sunday, Aug. 1. It was 56%
contained a day earlier.
“That refl ects several good
days of work on the ground
where crews have been able
to reinforce and build addi-
tional containment lines,” fi re
spokesperson Al Nash said.
The blaze has scorched
more than 646 square miles
since being sparked by light-
ning July 6 in the Fremont-
Winema National Forest.
California’s Dixie Fire
covered nearly 388 square
miles in mountains where 42
homes and other buildings
have been destroyed.
The fi re was 33% contained
Aug. 1, and evacuation orders
and warnings had earlier been
lifted for several areas of Butte
and Plumas counties.
The cause of the blaze was
still under investigation.
Authorities warned that
with unpredictable winds and
extremely dry fuels, the risk of
fl are-ups remained high.
In recent days, lightning
sparked two wildfires that
threatened remote homes in
California’s Shasta-Trinity
National Forest. Evacuation
warnings remained in place
Aug 1 for communities along
the Trinity River.
In Montana, a wind-driven
wildfi re destroyed more than
a dozen homes, outbuildings
and other structures, author-
ities said Aug. 1. Evacuations
were ordered after flames
jumped a highway and moved
toward communities near
Flathead Lake in the north-
western part of the state.
Crews also battled major
blazes in Northeastern Wash-
ington and Northern Idaho.
Nearly 22,000 fi refi ghters
and support personnel were
battling 91 large, active wild-
fi res covering 2,813 square
miles in mostly western states,
the National Interagency Fire
Center said.
A historic drought and
recent heat waves tied to
climate change have made
wildfi res harder to fi ght in the
American West. Scientists
say climate change has made
the region much warmer and
drier in the past 30 years and
will continue to make weather
more extreme and wildfi res
more frequent and destruc-
tive.
The U.S. Drought Monitor
reported last week that while
a monsoon has delivered rain-
fall to the Southwest, critically
dry conditions persist across
Northern California and the
Northwest, where there has
been an expansion of “excep-
tional drought,” the worst cate-
gory.
Dry conditions and winds
made for dangerous fi re condi-
tions in Hawaii. A wind advi-
sory was issued Aug 1 for
portions of Lanai, Maui and
the Big Island. A fast-mov-
ing wildfi re on Hawaii’s Big
Island grew to 62.5 square
miles, prompting mandatory
evacuation orders. Those
orders — which forced thou-
sands of residents out of their
homes — were lifted that
evening. However, authorities
told residents to remain alert.
“County offi cials ask all
residents of the aff ected areas
to only return home if abso-
lutely necessary,” Hawaii
County spokesperson Cyrus
Johnasen said.
In a statement. “Smoke and
other conditions may make
returns unsafe for those with
prior and underlying respira-
tory conditions.”
Local media reported at
least two homes had been
destroyed. Two community
shelters were open for resi-
dents who weren’t able to
return home, the Hawaii Red
Cross said.
HEALTH NOTIFICATION!
Are You Hard of Hearing?
A major name brand hearing aid provider wishes to field test a remarkable
new digital hearing instrument in the area. This offer is free of charge and
you are under no obligation.
These revolutionary 100% Digital instruments use the latest technology
to comfortably and almost invisibly help you hear more clearly. This tech-
nology solves the “stopped up ears” and “head in a barrel” sensation some
people experience.
If you wish to participate, you will be required to have your hearing tested
in our office FREE OF CHARGE to determine candidacy and review your
results with the hearing instruments with our hearing care specialist.
At the end of this evaluation, you may keep your instrument, if you so de-
sire, at a tremendous savings for participating in this field test. Special test-
ing will be done to determine the increased benefits of this technology.
Benefits of hearing aids vary by type and degree of hearing loss, noise environment, accuracy of
hearing test, and proper fit.
This is a wonderful opportunity to determine if hearing help is available for your hearing
loss and get hearing help at a very affordable price.
Call Now and Make a Reservation if you wish to be Included!
THIS WEEK ONLY! Ends Aug 6, 2021
Hermlston: 955 SE 4th St. Ste. B Hermiston, OR 97838 • (541) 716-5092
Pendleton: 29 SW Dorian Ave. Ste. #6 Pendleton, OR 97801 • (541) 224-8661
Use Code: 21AugHealth