Impact of Fire on Horses - Wild For Life Foundation's Lifetime Equine Refuge has a number of wild mustangs located in northern San Diego county fire alert area. Some WFLF horses were evacuated out of the Bonsall area Thursday shortly after the "Lilac fire" broke lose. However the majority of WFLF's horses are wild Mustangs which means evacuation centers are not an option. "We have no choice but to 'shelter in place' in accordance with county fire preparedness guidelines", said Katia Louise, WFLF spokesperson. "A new fire broke out in Ramona yesterday, headed our way, but firefighters thankfully got it under control by nightfall."
The fires in N County San Diego continue to burn and threaten area horse rescues and sanctuaries, including WFLF's. "Our horses are currently safe, but we are not out of danger". On Thursday a new fire exploded from half an acre to 500 acres in 20 minutes, and burned over 4,100 acres in a few hours. The flames consumed the area so quickly that 46 horses died in their barn stalls at a professional equine training center with roughly 450 horses onsite; staff on foot running through smoke and flames setting untold numbers of horses free from the burning structures. Chaos broke out within seconds with panicking lose horses frantically stampeding in circles, with burning branches falling from above.. A number of the survivors have since evacuated to Del Mar race track which can hold up to 1500 Domestic Barn horses.
"These evacuation centers are simply NOT an option when you have wild mustangs or pasture horses, and if power goes out, we’ll be looking at how to get water trucked in," Katia added.
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The recent southern California wildfires which now span from Santa Barbara to San Diego are placing additional strains on local equine rescue charities like WFLF, at a time when resources are already tapped. Options for placement are immediately wiped out when fire strikes - and when fire alerts span such a large region, any and all available equine space must be reserved for evacuees.
Transportation challenges hamper road closures and new fires are popping up, others still burning and spreading and so much of the region under fire alert and without power… The need for resources during these emergencies, especially equine transport, far exceeds the number of horses whose lives lay in the balance. News of California wild fires has gone global with a strong outpouring of support for the countless number of people and animals who have been displaced by the fires.
It's especially disturbing when news breaks about horses getting trapped by the fires and burning to death. Many people are following the stories on social media where comments range from utter shock and sympathy to anger pointed at victims who were not able to set their horses free. It's important for people to understand and remember that horses are flight animals and they panic. When domestic horses get lose in a fire storm, the level of extreme hazard multiplies for everyone. When scared they return to the place that's most familiar and if the smoke is thick they could run straight into the fire, or they could have a head-on with a car. And though horses should never be left unattended in a barn or confined to a stall that's in the path of a fire, when evacuations become mandatory for area residents, sometimes the option of evacuating horses does not exist.
Equine rescue professionals who attend fire preparedness workshops provided by county fire and animal officials are advised that when evacuating is not possible it's best to 'shelter in place'. And to be successful, many preparations are needed. In addition to having plenty of emergency provisions and supplies on hand, horses need to be removed from their barn stalls and placed in an arena or other large safe enclosed space where they have room to move around, and have access to water. A clearing with a 100' minimum all the way around the safe harbor space is highly recommended in order to keep the flames at a safe distance from the horses. It is however still likely that they will sustain smoke inhalation injuries and burns from falling embers. It's always best, if you can to evacuate, and to evacuate early, but sometimes that's just not possible. Many horse people get this, and if it comes down to setting them free, there are no guarantees - that's when it's a truly desperate situation. If the unthinkable happens, there is most likely a family of deeply broken hearts, devastated by the loss of their beloved horse(s). When we break news of this nature, we strongly encourage people to be compassionate and understanding - these are extremely challenging and painful times.
For every horse that makes it through a fire, there is an unsung hero whose sacrifice has made saving their life possible.
As of 12-9-2017: Fires continue to burn from Santa Barbara to San Diego, with over 76 horses dead, unknown numbers of horses need medical care for burns, roughly 170,000 acres scorched, and 190,000 people out of their homes. 20,000 customers in northern San Diego are without power, many of them in rural areas like us, where no power means no water unless you have a generator and fuel.
About: The Wild For Life Foundation (WFLF), a U.S. Registered Nonprofit Charity is at the forefront of efforts to rescue and provide safe harbor for at risk animals, providing the space, safe habitat and quality of care which they deserve. We are a grassroots volunteer based nonprofit charity dedicated to elevating life and healing through the prevention of cruelty to animals. Among our greatest concerns are imperiled wild horses and burros, abused, neglected and slaughter bound wild and domestic equines, and inadequate standards of protection for America's equine population as a whole. Learn more: www.WildForLifeFoundation.org
