A red alert warning of fire danger was still in effect for much of Kansas, and fires were still burning in five counties as of noon on Wednesday, March 8. At least 30 homes have been lost, hundreds of cattle have been killed and one person has died as a result of the fire outbreak.

It is likely, but not guaranteed, that federal relief funds will be available to help the farmers and ranchers who have lost livestock, homes, fences or outbuildings to the wildfires that struck more than 20 Kansas counties.

"There is a process where funds have to be requested and approved at the federal level," says Lee Hartford with the Kansas Farm Service Agency. "And funds have to be available. It's not that disaster automatically triggers funding."

A disaster of this size — with fires in Clark County, where more than 350,000 acres have burned, and in Comanche County, with more than 150,000 charred acres — is likely to be large enough that some appropriation will be made, but it will take some time to make sure that losses are accurately counted. In total, fires had burned more than 650,000 acres in Kansas.

"We’re in a position that some of our employees are among the people dealing with personal losses," Hartford says. "We want to make sure that we get all the information we need to present the request and that we don't leave somebody out."

One thing that farmers and ranchers with losses need to do is document those losses before anything is cleared away or cleaned up, he says.

There are three programs that are available to help victims of fire, and all come with a requirement for documentation of losses and receipts for any rebuilding for which reimbursement will be sought, officials say.

The Emergency Conservation Program
The ECP provides cost-share assistance to rehabilitate farmlands and conservation structures such as windbreaks and livestock watering systems. ECP offers cost-share up to 75% of the actual cost of rebuilding up to a maximum of $200,000 per person or entity, or up to 50% of the value of the land. The amount any one landowner actually receives, however, could be reduced by a lack of available funds.

Triggering the program requires a disaster declaration, a request to the federal office and approval of funding. Once funding is approved, there will be a sign-up period for those with losses to apply for help.

The Livestock Indemnity Program
Livestock owners or contract growers may be eligible for compensation for livestock killed or mortally wounded in the fires.

To be covered by the program, livestock must have died within 60 days of the fire except for newborn calves, which must have died within seven days.

Livestock must have been owned by an eligible livestock owner on the day the animal died. The animals must be part of a commercial herd and maintained as part of a farming operation.

Hunting dogs, pleasure horses, pets, show animals, rodeo stock and roping stock are not eligible for compensation under the LIP.

As with any federal program, documentation is key. Producers should keep proof of death, including photos, rendering receipts, herd birth and inventory records, veterinary records, National Guard records, tax records, private insurance documents, purchase records, and bank or loan documents.

Emergency Assistance for Livestock
The EAL helps producers replace feed that was lost in a wildfire. Producers will need records showing feed or forage was purchased or harvested during the program year for which benefits are requested and that it was destroyed in the fire.

Feed purchased to replace lost supplies must be documented as being required to maintain eligible livestock physically located in the county where the event occurred and must have been purchased after the fire.

The requirements for documentation are specific, and producers who hope to apply for the program need to make sure they have all the paperwork necessary. All records of feed purchases and losses have to be verifiable by a third party.

Producers with losses should stay in touch with their county FSA office to learn about any programs that are authorized, when sign-up deadlines are and to obtain complete guidelines.