Last Updated on February 11, 2025 by Teri Rehkopf
Do you know those stories that just grab your heartstrings? This one from the 2018 Camp fire in Paradise, California, shows how amazing horses are in a crisis. Picture this: Jeff Hill was checking on his neighbor’s house after evacuating the wildfire. You won’t believe what he found! In someone’s swimming pool, a horse is trying in vain to get out.
Did the poor horse jump into the swimming pool to escape the flames and get tangled in the pool cover? Or was the smoke from the wildfire so thick that she stumbled into the pool as she was trying to evade the fire? What a stroke of luck she was in the pool, safe from the fire, and Jeff found her.
What Can Horses Do to Survive a Wildfire?
Horses are incredible in wildfires! Their instincts kick in—they sense danger, move fast, and can even find escape routes. With the right training, they’re survival pros, making split-second decisions that save lives.
Wildfires and Horses in Survival Mode
I’ve seen and had horses do some pretty incredible things when they’re scared, but this really takes the cake. Jeff and his friends didn’t waste any time – they got the pool cover off and helped guide the horse to the shallow end, where it could use the steps to climb out.
Read this: Horses in Disasters Series – Real-Life Survival Stories
The best part? After the horse got out and shook off all that water, it actually hung around for a few minutes to thank them with some nuzzles before walking away. Jeff stayed there with him until help came to get it somewhere safe.
Read this: All Eyes on Hawke: An Equine Colorado Wildfire Survivor (2024)
I can’t even recall how many times my horses saved me when I was in trouble. I was always a horse fanatic, so growing up, I developed a natural trust in my horse to take care of me and the horse itself. Horses have a natural defense system honed from many years of survival in the wild.
The whole California wildfire situation was like nothing I’d ever heard about. People had to leave so fast that some couldn’t even get back to grab their animals. But here’s what really gets me – the search teams out there didn’t give up. They saved hundreds of animals; I’m not just talking about horses. They found dogs, cats, donkeys, ducks, and even a tortoise! It reminds me of when my family had to help rescue some puppies during a fire – you just do what needs to be done.
Read this: Teams shelter and treat animals in record fire season
Can you believe the number of rescued animals? Los Angeles County Animal Care was looking after 815 rescued animals just from the Woolsey and Hill fires, with 550 of them being horses. Allison Cardona, who helps run things there, said it was devastating how much area these fires affected. They even had to evacuate one of their own shelters—can you imagine moving 100 animals all at once?
Read this: Courageous Horse Stories of Survival in the California Wildfires
Up in Northern California, they turned Chico Airport into this massive animal shelter. The North Valley Animal Disaster Group – these amazing volunteers – took over 5,000 calls on their hotline after the Camp fire started. They ended up caring for more than 1,400 animals, including this random alpaca and a turkey! It’s like Noah’s Ark all over again.
There’s this volunteer named Sandy Doolittle who really touched me – she lost her own home in the fire but kept right on helping to reunite pets with their families. That’s the kind of dedication that makes you believe in people. She mentioned something important, though – sometimes the pets looked different after getting singed by the fires, making them harder to identify.
Read this: All Eyes on Hawke: An Equine Colorado Wildfire Survivor (2024)
Social media really showed its worth, too. These three women – Chrissy Morin, Michelle Hurst, and Marilyn Litt – set up Facebook and Twitter pages to help people find their pets. They’ve been doing this since 2012, helping after hurricanes and other disasters.
It’s like when wildfires encroached on our 30 acres. My mother and father would jump into gear, take charge, and get things moving. My brother and I would assist. My brother was on foot, and I was on my horse, riding bareback.
Then there’s Dan Sauvageau from Roseville – what a good person! When he heard his friends had to evacuate Magalia and couldn’t get all their animals, he drove 90 miles to help. He ended up rescuing not just their animals (a donkey, mastiff puppy, three goats, and a cat) but 17 other animals, too! He found this pack of dogs that were so happy to see him coming with food. It kind of reminds me of how excited our dog gets when we come home after being gone for a while.
The Butte County Humane Society in Chico really stepped up, too, setting up a pet food pantry and planning free vaccinations and microchipping. It’s like they say – in tough times, you find out who your real friends are, and these folks proved they’re friends to both animals and people.
What really gives me the warm fuzzies about all this is how everyone came together. Just like when my family would go on those boat trips – everyone had a job to do, and we all pitched in.
Final Thoughts
These disasters might bring out the worst in nature, but they sure bring out the best in people. And those horses? They just keep proving why they’re such amazing partners when things get rough. We encourage support of Community Animal Response Teams (CARTs). Check with the CART in your area about getting trained to volunteer.
What do you think? Have you been in a disaster or survival scenario? What did you do to cope? Was it just you, or were there other people or animals involved? Are you a member of your local CART? Let me know in the comments section below. I’d love to hear about your issues or outcomes, and I always reply.
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