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Emergency Evacuation Here; Everything's fine, whew! Sorry, long!
Topic Started: Feb 11 2008, 09:27 AM (662 Views)
OpticalIllusion
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OnyxThePony
Feb 11 2008, 10:00 AM
OMG!! So glad you and the kids are OK!!! What a terrible thing to have to deal with. The only way I've seen it effectively dealt with, in my neck of the woods, is the ploughed field. Twice I've seen fire officials have NO clue what to do, and in one case, actually GIVE UP when there were horses within 300 feet. And suppose you don't even have real official fire fighters, but volunteers, would they know what to do either?
In the first case, our BO ploughed the front of the field with his tractor. \The fire officials thought he was crazy BUT since he wasn't bothering anybody, the let him do it. That stopped the fire from getting to our horses (they were in halters and shanks ready to go!). This was about 400 feet from the fire.
In the other case, a friend's acerage had already caught, and he took his tractor (or bobcat?) and ploughed about 100 feet in front of the fire. This was VERY close to his horses. In this case, the fire officials actually gave up and were going to let the fire consume his house, barn, horses, etc. They started telling him he wasn't allowed to plough his field- then had to sit back as he just kept going. Imagine their surprise when he not only stopped the fire, but put it out with the plough. The fire officials were in fact stunned.

SO.. moral of the story (OK just kidding, I'm not preaching).. prepare yourself and don't rely on 'officials' :(

I just cant imagine in any case that firefighters, volunteer or not, would give up. My dad is a professional firefighter, as well as a volunteer, and they dont just give up. They fight and fight and fight until they win. Sometimes its a struggle, and sometimes things are lost, but they do their best. Firefighters, as well as rescue workers and police officers, risk their lives for us everyday to keep the rest of us safe.

We had several fires as well yesterday. Some stupid idiots tried to burn brush yesterday :mallet: and of course the insane wind blew it out of control. Took 8 hours to put it out. There were several others in our area too.

OTF, so glad all your children as well as your home are safe.
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Corey94
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Off visiting Candy Cave, be right back.
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Phew! So glad to hear all the livestock managed. I hope you're able to take a few deep breaths today....Corey94
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Fish Cheeks
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OMT, how amazingly frightening! I'm so glad that it did not affect you and that everyone is OK!

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Circuspony
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Thomas H. Cruise!
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I'm so glad everything is OK! My heart sped up thinking about little donkeys in danger. :jaw:
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OTF
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I sure thank you all for your well wishes and shared relief. We visited the people at the end of the road and saw where the woods are scorched...not 30 feet from their barn on one side and about the same from their home on the other side! There are still pockets of smoke festering down there but they are not too concerned. :jaw: I'd be out there soaking it down with the hose. They have put a veritable fortune into renovating their old farmhouse, and they've got four horses.

There have been numerous vehicles up and down the road all day long (we live about halfway down a dead-end road). Power line poles at the far end were scorched and sprayed with foam, as I understand it. I'm still concerned that something could re-ignite, but we shall see....I'm a super worrier.

I'm ever so grateful for all the fire and rescue people who stopped to alert us (several times), and especially the Animal Control guy who offered to help and advised us on what to do. I want to write him a letter thanking him...perhaps a letter to the editor is in store.

Meanwhile, the only mishap here was that an 8 mo. heifer managed to sneak back to her mother's pasture (where there is a bull) but I think that was because she figured out the electric fence wasn't operating. A shot of Lutalyse is in her future, LOL. My donkeys are right as rain, hungry as usual, and seem non-plussed; they'll be happy to have access to their barn tonight. Robert and I, however, need to do some serious planning in case something like this happens again. I've never driven with a trailer; might have to correct that defect in my preparedness plans.

I heard that there were numerous fires all around the state; I hope everyone stays safe and alert!

Thanks again to all of you for your concern and thoughts.

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mareseatoats
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Oh, man OTF. Thank goodness you and your extended family are all ok! Scary, scary stuff. :hug: :hug: :hug:
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La Gringa
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Starving Artist
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Wow, jingles for everyone in the area. Scary stuff. I remember all the fires in Calif last year.. so scary.
:unsure:
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glenhill
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Is the meadow on fire?
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Wow OTF how scary!
I am so glad that all is well with your herd and family.
I really need to come up with a disaster plan. I hate fire season.
Hugs to the donkeys.
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RNB
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Guiding your way to Candy Mountain, since 1873.
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OMT OTF!!! I just saw this thread! :o How scary!!!! But I'm glad to hear everyone is ok....and you are so right...I don't think many of us are prepared for something like this!

Hugs to all!!
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jetsmom
I Visited Candy Mountain and All I Got Was This Lousy Incision
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That would be my worst nightmare! Glad everyone is safe. Where do you live that there were fires?
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mareseatoats
Thomas H. Cruise!
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jetsmom, I only caught a second or two on the news. There were wildfires in spreading in Virginia, fanned by the megawinds from the latest storm. They didn't get the rain or snow, just wind, and have been parched by the drought.
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varider
Shunnnnn the unbeliever. Shunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.
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Glad to hear you are ok. It's been crazy around here the last couple of days - that wind on Sunday really did us in. Luckily the fire didn't get close to us, but we did have a lot of smoke and were thinking about everyone in the direct line of the fire.

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