It’s a waiting game now for horse owners and veterinarians in the areas of Southern California affected by wildfires–waiting to see if the fires still roaring through the area will miss the designated evacuation points that each hold hundreds of horses, and waiting until officials allow them to access areas the fire has swept through in order to treat the wounded and begin the search for survivors.

Mark Martinelli, DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, of California Equine Orthopedics, was able to give The Horse an eyewitness view of the situation in San Diego County. He is stationed at Vessels Stallion Farm, a Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred racehorse breeding facility in Bonsall that’s currently serving as an evacuation point. The farm is harboring 300 horses in addition to its 400 permanent equine residents.

"It is every bit as bad as they say on the news," Martinelli said. "But, so far, there’s not too much going on with the horses other than major-league evacuations."

Martinelli said he expects that to change as soon as officials start allowing people back into the scorched areas