preventing barn fires
No horse owners ever expect to find their barns engulfed in flames, or farm on the brink of destruction by a wildfire. Nonetheless, fire remains a constant threat to equine operations around the world. So, we dug into our archives to bring you 10 free resources from TheHorse.com that contain important information on barn and wildfire preparedness. For additional resources and information, search “barn fire” or “wildfire” on TheHorse.com.

BLOG: Barn Fire Safety Checklist Barn-fire prevention requires a strategy like no other. Get some tips on how to ensure your barn is as prepared as possible should a barn fire occur. Read More

BLOG: Six Ways to Better Prevent and Respond to Barn Fires Barn fires happen to people in all sectors of the horse industry, from rich to poor, from show to performance to work to pleasure to backyard. Don’t let it be you that gets that gut wrenching whiff of smoke and fear. Do something about it today; this is by far the best present you can ever give your clients, your horses, and yourself. Read More

ARTICLE: Barn Fires: The Veterinarian’s Role Even with the best preventive measures, barn fires do happen, so it’s important that veterinarians are ready to manage patients during and after a blaze—a well-thought-out approach to triage can save horses’ lives. Read More

BLOGS: Barn Fire Prevention and Response and Barn Fire Prevention and Response, Part 2 We, as an industry, have “ostrich syndrome” when it comes to barn fire preparation—we think it won’t happen to us. However, a quick look at the statistics shows that this is the No. 1 nonmedical emergency that injures and kills horses. What matters is this: What you have done to prevent and mitigate fire at your facility? Read More: Part 1 and Part 2

BLOG: 14 More Considerations for Preventing Horse Barn Fires Nobody likes to think about a barn fire. But having these types of tips at the forefront of your mind—no matter how uncomfortable they make you—and discussing them with your architect and contractor, or farm owner or manager where you keep your horse, can mean better preparation or prevention of the unthinkable. Read More

ARTICLE: Narrow Escape: Caring for Equine Barn Fire Survivors Just because a horse survives a barn fire doesn’t mean he’s out of harm’s way. Here’s what survivors might face in the aftermath and how veterinarians can help them return to health. Read More

BEHAVIOR: Returning Horses to the Scene of the Fire How will the horses that survived the San Luis Rey Downs Training Center fire respond to moving back to the facility? An equine behavior expert shares her insight. Learn More

ARTICLE: Wildfires: When Evacuation is Not an Option How can you best protect your horses from wildfires if evacuation isn’t an option? Learn about “shelter in place” techniques owners can implement before a wildfire arrives. Read More

BLOG: Firewise Tips for Horse Owners Many horse owners live in rural areas that are surrounded by trees or open rangeland with grass or shrubs. In a dry year these materials can easily become fuels for wildfire—high temperatures, limited summer rainfall, strong winds, and lightning storms all lead to very high risk of fire danger. Here are a few points to help you identify wildfire risks for your horse property along with the appropriate actions to minimize those risks. Read More

ARTICLE: Smoke From Wildfires and Horses’ Respiratory Health Smoke from wildfires can cause serious health problems for horses, as it can in people. Here’s how to protect your horses from smoke-related respiratory problems. Read More