No one, not even foot-dragging federal officials, can deny that wildland fires have exacted a heavy toll in Utah this year. And, due to the slow federal response, the damage from the fires is still spreading through Utah's hard-hit ranching industry.

According to a survey by the National Agricultural Statistics Service, the 78 Utah ranchers sampled lost nearly 300 head of cattle to the fires, while another 1,285 animals are unaccounted for. But charbroiled beef is the least of the industry's problems.

Dozens of ranchers have been forced to take their animals off blackened summer range months ahead of schedule. Now they're struggling to pay for hay. Some are even considering selling their animals and hanging up their saddles, since it would take years to rebuild herds bred to thrive on Utah's arid rangelands.

The state's ranchers needed help a month ago, but it didn't arrive until Wednesday when U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns finally declared Utah's 29 counties to be natural disaster areas.

The declaration will provide low-interest loans to ranchers and farmers, loans that could help them stay in business. But it's only part of the appropriate emergency response. A "severe" drought declaration is also needed from the Department of Agriculture to open acreage in the Comprehensive Reserve Program for emergency grazing.

To some, it might make sense to let nature and economics run their course. Much of Utah's range and pasture lands are in poor condition and the forecasts aren't encouraging. Long-term weather projections point to more drought and more frequent fires. And that makes the prognosis for the ranching industry in this century equally bleak.

But now, at least, with some ranch families facing financial ruin, they need all the help they can get, as would any group of people robbed of their livelihood in a natural disaster. That is why it is encouraging to see the federal government finally step forward to lend a hand.