While firefighters struggle to contain the Monument wildfire in Arizona, the blaze is challenging members of the Arizona equine community who are caring for horses evacuated from the fire’s path.

The Monument Fire broke out on June 12 in the Huachuca Mountains and scorched valley communities, including those in Cochise and Santa Cruz counties (located in the southeastern part of the state) forcing the evacuation of residents and their livestock. Bill Paxton, public information officer for the Northern Rockies Fire Incident Management Team, said since the blaze broke out, horses from several communities were evacuated to equine facilities including the Sierra Vista Riding Club, the Cochise County Fairgrounds, the Double Take Equestrian Center, and the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.

"People with horse trailers were assembling in mall parking lots and just being dispatched to places horses needed evacuation," said Linda Ford, spokesperson for the Santa Cruz Fairgrounds where 22 horses are currently under care. "In some cases where owners were not home or fence gates were locked, animal control personnel cut fences to get the animals out."

Theresa Warrell, cofounder and president of the Horse’n Around Rescue Ranch and Foundation in Palominas, was among the volunteers assisting in the evacuation effort