At the 2008 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention, held Dec. 6-10 in San Diego, Calif., Rebecca Gimenez, PhD, noted that barn fires are the No. 1 local emergency that affects everyone from horse owners to veterinarians, and property owners to the horses themselves. Barn fires kill more horses annually than any other type of nonmedical emergency. Of 11,500 agricultural storage facility fires per year, 88% are barns or stables with animals, resulting in about $250 million in property losses annually. In 87 horse-barn fire incidents reported in 2006 and 2007, 461 horses died and an unknown number were injured.

Gimenez explained that for a fire to start there needs to be an ignition source, oxygen, and fuel. She emphasized that a fire doubles in size every minute, so in 10 minutes it might be 1,024-4,680 times the original size!

As heat rises into the barn rafters, the ceiling will superheat if the structure lacks ventilation for escape of heat. Hay and other combustibles (such as the rafters) often located high in the barn are likely to ignite.

Common barn construction materials of wood increase the hazard of unstoppable fires. Ideally, a barn is constructed of masonry or cinder blocks, with metal or tile roofing, all electrical lines are sheathed in conduit, flooring is sand or another noncombustible material, and all wood surfaces are painted with flame-retardant paint. Areas of the barn should be compartmentalized to prevent or delay spread of the fire. Post "No Smoking" signs around the barn and enforce the rule