Fire-Safety Tips
Fire is the most feared of all disasters. A wildfire can spread in the blink of an eye. It can start from natural causes (such as lightning), or it can be manmade. Common causes of manmade fires include an unattended or illegal campfire, a carelessly tossed match or cigarette, and arson.
Fires can spread by jumping from treetop to treetop, racing across dry meadows and brush, and blowing over desert land. It'll soon make the air yellow and hazy. The sun will become red. Smoke will hang in the air.
If there's a fire near your campground (or area trail), you'll likely smell the smoke first. The smell of smoke is a red-alert. Scan the area to find the smoke's source, if possible. (Binoculars are helpful.) If the smoke is coming from a legal campfire, that's still good to know. If the smoke isn't coming from a campfire, or you can't find the smoke's source, pack up (if time), and move out.
To enhance your and your horse's safety in high-fire-risk zones, follow these basic fire-safety guidelines.
• Know your escape route. You might need to make a retreat in pitch-black darkness. To quickly find your way in an emergency, carefully observe your inbound route. Check the mileage from the main road to the parking area, and mark it on your roadmap. Also note and mark milestones and landmarks, such as bridges, natural formations, and places where the road narrows.
• Look for alternative routes. As you travel to the camping area, find alternative evacuation routes. Watch the road, and mark your roadmap. (Tip: Before you leave, copy and enlarge the area map, and highlight your route, for ease of reading.)
• Park facing the exit. Whether you park your rig in a parking area or at your campsite, turn it around so it faces the exit, in case you need to make a fast getaway.
• Avoid dry branches. When selecting a campsite, avoid areas with snags, and dead branches/trees. In forested areas, find a site that has healthy, live trees.
• Keep a neat camp. Put away equipment, tack, and feed every night, so it'll be easy to pack up in a hurry. Keep your trailer's stock compartment clear for quick loading. If a fire is fast approaching, don't try to pack; just take what can be loaded easily.
• Hold a fire drill. If you're camping with one other person, make sure you each know what to do in the event of an emergency evacuation. If you're camping with a group, designate one person to be in charge of the evacuation, and conduct a dry run.
• Protect lives first. If you have to evacuate immediately, take "life" only. Hitch up, load up, and go! Equipment and material goods can be replaced; lives cannot.
• Follow your gut. If you smell smoke and have a feeling you should leave, do so. It's better to leave needlessly than to leave too late. Don't let other campers talk you into staying.
• Leave the blanket on. If your horse is already blanketed, leave the blanket on. If the smoke is heavy or embers are in the air, pour water on the blanket, then load up. Close all trailer windows and vents to keep out embers and sparks.
• Leave balky horses behind. If your horse balks too long at trailer-loading, and you need to evacuate immediately, you'll unfortunately need to leave him behind. Turn him loose without a nylon halter, which can snag. (Some prefer to leave on a leather halter, which will break under stress.) Quickly braid an identification tag into his tail (if time), and write your last name and phone number on his hip with a grease pencil. If you have a bit more time, load the willing horses first, then try loading the balky horse again.
• Leave as horses are loaded. Don't wait for your traveling companions. But if you come upon a chaotic traffic jam, consider pulling over and directing traffic, if you can do so safely. If officials are present, clear out under their direction.
