Evacuation plans with wild fires- do you have one?

[Spottyappy]

We don’t. Yet.
A wildfire locally (UK) has resulted in a yard having to move their horses to safety. I don’t know the details, but it has set me thinking that these are unprecedented times that we should all be starting to think about what we would do if the worst happened.
I don’t live on site of my yard, so would need to actually get there. My horses are out most of the year,but my fields are well fenced and hedged, so it maybe hard for the horses to jump out, for example. One of my neighbours has access to my gates, to open them- but they would initially be trying to rescue or move their own horses.
I dont have any contact details there either, but I now need to address that, I feel.
So, has anyone here much experience with evacuation plans for horses? I’m thinking those of you living in generally hotter climates that are more used to wildfires probably have plans? Or, is it just open gates and pray?

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Yes, I have plans which depend on what calamity might fall.

For fire, there are 3 laminated sheets with clear basic simple instructions/info.
In case of fire:
1. Yard location by postcode and What3words.
2. Nearest water hydrant location (I only have a yard tap)
3. Evacuation procedure for any equines in stables
4. Please call (My contact number)

Next to 2 of these sheets are another A4 paper with basic equine info, (these are only visible once you are on the yard) with any medical relevant info.
Also has: All my contact numbers, vet practice and contact numbers, farrier contact info.
These 2nd lot of info has come in useful when my phone went on the blink once, I was able to borrow a passerby's phone to call vet. Do you all know numbers off by heart?

Inside my feed shed I have a list typed out of all the local neighbours and YO's numbers, in case of emergency, kept in my main med kit.

 

[SO1]

YO lives on site. We were meant to be going out this evening. She messaged to say that there had been two fires in a field nearby so she was going to stay in just in case.

I am not sure what the evaluation process would be. I don't have a horse at the moment as I lost mine a couple of weeks ago so not something I need to worry about at the moment but definitely something to be concerned about.

 

[criso]

There was a fire locally in the last heatwave. Through word of mouth and Facebook people came to help, transport to other yards. All the horses were got out and safe just in time.

 

[twofatladies88]

I was thinking about this a few nights ago when I heard loud bangs and saw all the thick black smoke heading this way. Knew it was serious by the amount of smoke. I immediately rang the lady who rents the farm buildings and paddocks next door as she has two horses in stables. I wanted to forewarn her that we might need to evacuate - her reply “oh the fire brigade will put it out won’t they?” I said it was bad she needs to come down - she only lives one mile away. Told her to open her front door and yes she could see all the smoke. Turns out it was a combine. Anyway what could we do with seven horses between us! No love, I’ll be getting my five out and you’ll need to sort yourself out. My plan is for me and OH to grab them and lead them over the bridge at the end of the lane into the next village hoping that the river would act as as firebreak. Just as well she’s now only got two as one died a few days ago.

 

[Caol Ila]

Haha. Yeah. I posted a picture on one of Michen’s threads of horses being evacuated from my old barn in Boulder. Everyone in CO and other western states will have detailed evac plans. If you don’t want to reinvent the wheel, post on the Chronicle of the Horse forums and ask people what their evac plans are.

Two thing spring to mind to me. You need a place to go. Local fairgrounds or show grounds in the States have tons of stabling so that’s generally where horses end up.

Have animal friendly spray paint and paint your phone number on your horse in the event of a wildfire heading your way. In the chaos of an evacuation, trailers just appear or horses have to be released to save themselves and it’s not always easy to keep track of everyone. It makes it easier to reunite horses with owners later.

 

[COldNag]

A riding school I was at as a child had a big batch of headcollars and ropes on a hook by the office . They were for for evacuation in case of fire. Woe betide anyone who moved them!..I always thought it was a really sensible thing. (Horses were all stabled).

I think fire evacuation plans are going to be something we all need to think about, sadly.

 

[rextherobber]

I do have a plan, I am a small private yard so wouldn't necessarily get the local help a large livery yard would get, because I'm not on the radar. I'd take them to a friends yard an hour away. My huge stumbling block would be wrestling the blinking trailer lock off...

 

[Caol Ila]

rextherobber, around Boulder/Denver, the sheriff/police coordinate with private equestrian properties as well as boarding stables as part of county-wide evacuation plans. So your yard would be included, if you were there. But the Western US is sadly getting really good at this.

 

[Kat]

There was a crop field fire only a couple of miles from my yard this week. Not close enough for use to need to move horses but a nearby yard was getting ready to move some of theirs.

We have plans for a stable fire but not really for a wild fire. Yard owner lives on site and can contact us all quickly if there are concerns.

Headcollars are kept outside stables when horses are in and by the field if out so they are always close at hand.

I guess it depends how far the horses need to move. The farmer has other grazing land so that might do the job if it wasn't too major.

 

[Spottyappy]

Thanks, some useful tips on here, and things I hadn’t thought about.
we don’t have the local fairgrounds here, as you’ll likely know caol, but there are local show grounds, with stabling, so maybe we should try and get them onboard to help in this kind of emergency.

 

[GSD Woman]

My horse and burro keeping friends in California keep their cars/trucks with emergency fire kits. The trailers are facing the way out and ready to go. If they have a second vehicle the pulling vehicle is hooked up and ready to go. If there are too many horses to load they open the gates and stable doors, and hope like h#ll.
A lot of horses out west live in corrals, IIRC.

 

[dominobrown]

oh I do… last February we had a massive one in the forestry and fells beyond our house. It was national news and everything. I was quite scary when the firefighters gave up fighting it and just “guarded” the property but luckily it never damaged any property. I made an evacuation plan, the fire services said they would give us a few hours head up as to when had to start evacuation. We never did have to evacuate luckily but so so so many horsey people who I knew saw it on the news messaged me to offer stabling or fields and help moving all the horses.
we made a plan of who would go where and be taken by who etc which just took minutes to be fair.

 

[Goldenstar]

I do have a plan, I am a small private yard so wouldn't necessarily get the local help a large livery yard would get, because I'm not on the radar. I'd take them to a friends yard an hour away. My huge stumbling block would be wrestling the blinking trailer lock off...

get some WD40 on it today !
That’s what disaster prep is about .

 

[The Xmas Furry]

To add to evacuation plans, locally there is a group that has persons willing to temporarily take in livestock if under evacuation.
It's been used a few times over recent years, mostly due to flooding.
I signed up, tho my yard wouldn't get flooded, I can offer accommodation for a few at any time of the year short term.

I'm also on my vets emergency evac list.
It's rare we do get flooding locally but when it happens it's very quick, about 3 and 6 miles away.

 

[SEL]

This has got me thinking. I'm going to borrow some of Fuzzy's ideas, but our only entrance is purposely hard to get in due to burglaries

I'm less worried about temporary accommodation because my old YO would have them if the whole of this area went up (surrounded by horse properties and sheep paddocks) but the logistics would be tough. Technically we're surrounded by water but the lake and it's stream are bone dry. Not enough in the well to pump at decent pressure for any length of time. But the verges are all very green because the ditches link to the streams and springs so hopefully a discarded cigarette won't set the whole place slight

I was caught in a huge fire in Australia in 2003. We were on a horse riding trip in the snowy mountains and got an evacuation order. The horses were set free by a lake. Awful for the guides and owners but human safety was the priority

 

[rextherobber]

get some WD40 on it today !
That’s what disaster prep is about .

It's not that - it's just a finger trapping nightmare!

 

[sport horse]

You can make whatever plans you like but if the situation arises you have to act 'on the hoof' It happened to us this week. Lunchtime, quietly minding my own business. Yard suddenly fills with locals - quick quick, there is a field fire and it is heading towards your youngsters field fast. We drove every available vehicle across the farm, and hastily evacuated the young horses to a field next to my yard - just herded them there nothing fancy! The wind then changed direction and it all missed us and my neighbours cattle. I have never seen my lane so full of locals, farmers etc all with one aim to evacuate animals and then help fire services.
You cannot plan too much when you have no idea of how/when/where these things will happen, but rest assured when they do it is very very quick. A field of lying straw goes up instantly in a nice warm gentle breeze.
Best plan? Have a good relationship with your neighbours, other local horse owners, farmers etc. They are the nearest help when disaster is looking you in the face.

 

[TTK]

6 horses were evacuated safely today from a wild fire in Herefordshire. It’s all very worrying

 

[twofatladies88]

Looks like farm adjoining us is going to combine tonight. Saw tractor and very clean tanker (presumed it’s water) go down the lane 30min ago and can hear the combine. Had hoped that they would leave it until after the rain. The third combine local to me went up in flames this afternoon. So that was one on Wednesday, Thursday and today. Shropshire fire service were called to six combine fires on Wednesday alone. Very frightening.

 

[sport horse]

Looks like farm adjoining us is going to combine tonight. Saw tractor and very clean tanker (presumed it’s water) go down the lane 30min ago and can hear the combine. Had hoped that they would leave it until after the rain. The third combine local to me went up in flames this afternoon. So that was one on Wednesday, Thursday and today. Shropshire fire service were called to six combine fires on Wednesday alone. Very frightening.

They are probably trying to get the crop in before the rain. A lot of farmers are now taking water tankers out into the fields while combining or baling 'just in case'. Our local fire was a baler that got some straw twisted around the belts and hey presto fire. Quick thinking driver managed to disconnect the tractor and drive it to safety saving tens of thousands of pounds. Sadly the baler was destroyed.

 

[twofatladies88]

Yep combining as we speak- they have started furthest away from me and working towards us. Another night of lost sleep!

 

[Lyle]

Bushfire plans is something that everyone Aus has to live with, on a yearly basis. I can't stress enough the importance on acting EARLY.
Unfortunately, by the time a fire starts locally and you think "I'll just see where this is going" it can be too late. A flock of horse owners rushing to their yards, hitching up trailers and trying to evacuate can seriously hinder the emergency response access. In Aus, police will block off access to areas if there is an active fire. Truly, too, you need to think about your own safety, and being stuck in a car (god forbid with a trailer and horse on) with a fire front approaching would be a night mare. Honestly, the best thing you can do, is on high fire risk days, have your horse completely naked (No fly masks, or sheets) and have then in a field that is clear or as bare as possible. Horses will cope with a grass fire extremely well, often jumping the flames and standing on blackened ground. A fire in the tree tops is a different story, so if you have wooded fields it's best not to have the horses in those. Make sure your yard has a plan, lots of agistment places here don't want owners arriving, they take care of it themselves.

 

[GSD Woman]

Lyle,

Thanks for those tips. The fires in AUS are much bigger than the fires in the western USA. I'm sure it takes a whole different mindset to cope quickly with fires that are that large.

 

[Lyle]

Lyle,

Thanks for those tips. The fires in AUS are much bigger than the fires in the western USA. I'm sure it takes a whole different mindset to cope quickly with fires that are that large.

The take home message every year is "If you're going to leave, LEAVE EARLY" this usually means the day before or the morning of a High Fire risk day, i.e an extreme or Code Red day. So if your horse is kept somewhere that would be 'high risk'or difficult to defend, the simplest course of action would be to move them to somewhere more defendable or safer. Obviously, not everyone can do this! Personally, we have 25+ horses here, so it's really a matter of having them in the safest paddocks we can. We are lucky that our property is cleared and we have a grazing plan that means the holding paddocks, and paddocks closest to the house and infrastructure are eaten out/dirt by summer time, and we have the equipment to defend our home. Reducing fuel load around the property is so important, slashing/whipper snipping any tall standing grass, raking leaves and tidying up need to be done in advance of summer. The fire kit is ready to go at the start of summer too. This includes appropriate clothing and basic PPE, as well equipment that is needed.
At the end of the day though, some fires are undefendable. The inferno created during Black Saturday in 2009 was one such fire.

All the best to everyone, it's an unpleasent plan to have to have, but to know what to do when time is short makes all the difference.

 

[poiuytrewq]

A friends livery yard had to be evacuated on Saturday evening due to fire in the fields behind it. The baler from our farm was baking straw and one caught light as it came out the back, quickly setting the field alight.
She said it was scary how fast it was heading towards them.
Luckily in that situ the YO have two yards so the horses were walked down the road to the second yard.
Here, I could have access to other fields in an absolute emergency, not sure how I’d move 4 by myself. They are used to being led together but yard to field would be very different I’d imagine to off the premises with a dramatic situation so I’d need help. I’m certain there are several people locally I could call on and would like to think that other local horse people would be happy to shout me if needed.

 

[Gamebird]

I wrote this years ago, so it is not wildfire specific, but yard fire specific. Lots of things that people don't often think of, direct from a specialist fire officer.

FIRE!! Reading This Might Save Your Horse’s Life – e-Venting

I am involved in fire plans on a weekly basis as part of riding school licensing - they will not get a licence if they don't have adequate fire and evacuation plans, including arrangements for off-site evacuation. It horrifies me how many livery and private yards have never thought about this because they aren't legally obliged to do it. A lot fall into simple traps like locking all the headcollars in the tackroom at night - then there is no way to get horses out. Also clear all the crap that's lying around your yard - loads of people have loads of unused rubbish - wood/pallets/old SJ poles piled up at the back of their stable blocks. Keep hay and straw storage separate from horse accommodation etc. etc. etc. I could go on all day. I was gratified however when one of the riding schools that I'd inspected the previous month was sadly affected by a wildfire recently and although they lost a stable block had no injury to either people or horses, and the plan worked perfectly.

 

[twofatladies88]

This was precisely why I rang the owner of the horses next door - I would rather be ready to move and not have flames at my field/stables as fire spreads so quickly. Shame she didn’t see it as a precaution - presume she wanted to wait until the fire was at her stable doors. Same attitude when one of her ponies was ill and she just went home. And the eejit neighbours the other side having a big bonfire with no thought for anyone. Feet I’m surrounded by numpties!

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Had hoped that they would leave it until after the rain.

You can't combine after rain, need to get the crop in dry. Many farmers are frantically trying to get their crops in before thunderstorms destroy them. A torrential thunderstorm will completely flatten crops, especially dry, ripe ones. Total loss if that happens.

 

[rextherobber]

I wrote this years ago, so it is not wildfire specific, but yard fire specific. Lots of things that people don't often think of, direct from a specialist fire officer.

FIRE!! Reading This Might Save Your Horse’s Life – e-Venting

I am involved in fire plans on a weekly basis as part of riding school licensing - they will not get a licence if they don't have adequate fire and evacuation plans, including arrangements for off-site evacuation. It horrifies me how many livery and private yards have never thought about this because they aren't legally obliged to do it. A lot fall into simple traps like locking all the headcollars in the tackroom at night - then there is no way to get horses out. Also clear all the crap that's lying around your yard - loads of people have loads of unused rubbish - wood/pallets/old SJ poles piled up at the back of their stable blocks. Keep hay and straw storage separate from horse accommodation etc. etc. etc. I could go on all day. I was gratified however when one of the riding schools that I'd inspected the previous month was sadly affected by a wildfire recently and although they lost a stable block had no injury to either people or horses, and the plan worked perfectly.

Thanks for this - very helpful. It's surprising what accumulates by stealth, I thought I was quite tidy, but am definitely guilty of the old jump poles!