Our fire-ravaged friends in Texas

[Becky]

Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers. Today wasn't bad. The next two are going to be worse. Moderate fire danger tomorrow and extreme fire danger on Sunday! We are supposed to have winds gusting 40 - 50 mph. I so dread that day!

I spent today watering the yard around the house and mowing leaves and any other vegetation that had gotten tall. I'm NOT looking forward to the next two days!

 

[Tony]

Thanks for the concern, Millstone. The fire that Wildoak mentioned yesterday was about four miles from us. Extremely dry and they opened a fireworks stand NEXT DOOR to our property!!!

 

[MyBarakah]

Wow!

I am SO sorry for your guys and worried for you! Wow! How awful! I'm in Nebraska (30 miles south of Lincoln)... and I'd love to give you some of this wet/damp ground! Oh..... I wish I could help you guys out!

That wind!!!!!!!!!!! Wow! I will have my fingers and toes crossed for you guys and hoping for the best!!! Geeze! What a year!

I will Deffinately be thinking of you guys! Good luck! Chin Up!

 

[horsefeather]

Just a suggestion, but along with the tagged halters, you might want to put your phone number on your horses' side. You can use that stuff they write on car windows. It won't hurt them. That way, In case they lost their halters, someone could still contact you.

Pam

 

[Dorrie & Frank]

Things are dry down here - they've banned only the rocket style fireworks - Sparklers are as dangerous as anything if the hot wire hits the dry grass and tinder. Tells us how strong the fireworks lobby is! They did file criminal charges against the guy near Dallas that set a fire with fireworks in a banned area. Our winter rye was watered in well and seems to keep us more moist than if we hadn't planted it. I've often thought we need to organize a mini horse emergency response network - with the disasters being so different and wide spread it is hard to know how to go about organizing. Any ideas?

 

[minimama]

OMG! I am so slow!! I have not been on here and read about all of this. My heart is just aching for you all. We are in the flood zone in our area and although we are on higher ground at our house, when we have bad floods we are on an island here. No getting in or out! I wish to heaven we could send you all some of this rain we are getting. Unfortunately it comes with major winds. The winds have just been terrible here and that would not help those fires at all.

You are all in my prayers and your animals too.

Now, Range, you have to get yourself out of there, you will be of no help to frightened animals if you get hurt yourself. They will have higher powers watching over them, you need to take care of you to get back to them safely.

Love and prayres to you all!!

 

[ShawneeCreek]

I live in Denison, Texas which is about 85 miles North of Dallas and about 3 miles from the Okla. border. I have about the same conditions as Becky. I hooked up 6 hoses and have all my shovels, towels, etc. together in case something flares up. Been raking leaves away from the house and barn. We've had a few small fires around me. Keeping an eye out and constantly sniffing the air for smoke. My husband and I both agree that if we have a fire the ponies and animals come first. The house second. If need be I will spray paint my phone number on the side of each mini as with all the woolies it shouldn't hurt them.

Wish we would get some rain...

 

[minimama]

Jacquie, wish we could send you some!!!!!!

 

[Range]

It's never going to rain again. The pines are just brown! I am worried that my kids will get hung up on their halters, so, I got some of that orange tape that marks boundaries. I put names and phone numbers on them and braided one in their manes, and one in their tails. I have put collars on the goats.

Winds are picking up to 30mph! However, they FINALLY banned fireworks so I hope we're okay tonight. I'm Northeast of Dallas, about 45 miles from the OK border.

Thank you for all your good thoughts and thank you for the offers of help. I'm hoping that if fire does come, I have enough warning to do something. I'm a teacher and I have to go back to work on Wednesday, I'll be worried the whole time! Hoses are out, halters are ready, orange tags are in....

 

[Stacy Score]

LB Forum friends - as you can see, our prayers are helping - lots of very frightenend people and I in no way am diminishing your fears, but thankfully the fires have spared our horsey friends. Let's keep up the prayers - and pray for rain WITHOUT wind and that once again all our Texas and Oklahoma family members stay safe.

Again, hugs to you all - believe me, if I was closer I would be so willing to help - if I could convince Mother Nature to send some of our rain your way, I would, but since I am only who I am I will pray for your continued safety.

Hugs,

Stac

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

dont know if it has been said yet but go get the spray paint you can put on human hair and spray your horses with your phone numbers to be honest in a pinch i would use regular spray paint on very hairy horses

 

[NewMoon]

Cross Plains is about thirty-five miles from us. We went to dinner out of town this evening and just got home, driving through Cross Plains on the way home. It was dark already, but still just heartbreaking to see the devastation. It got hazy a few miles out of town and we could smell it, it burned our eyes and throat. Even in the dark, it was a lot to take in. They lost fifty houses, mostly older homes I think, built in the forties, a Methodist Church and other buildings. The fire burned entire areas, but with one or two houses that it missed, or that were soaked down by their owners before they left. A few people tragically lost their lives, and five, I think, were unaccounted for as of a few days ago. I'm not sure of the status of those people as I haven't heard anything on the news today. It's such a small town, population 1,000, and they evacuated 600 during the fires, and all those folks are now living in a shelter. It's a very, very sad sight.

 

[MBennettp]

Just thought some of you would like to know that McSperitts and Britt Helm farms are both okay. No fires really near either of them.

We're still watching everything and soaked the barn lot in hopes that in case a fire comes through, maybe it will slow it down.

Mary

 

[Nicole-DownUnder]

Keeping you all in my prayers and thoughts and hope everyone in the areas mentioned keep safe.

Here in South Australia just had our hottest recorded day for over 50 years with a top of 43C, and probably about 48C where we live. There were a few 'small' fires lit by arsonists, but luckily they were bought under control without too much damage done.

I absolutely hate the heat and we're only a 3rd of the way thru summer.

Today it's a complete swing around with a steady rain that started very early morning and is yet to stop, but i'm hoping it won't for some time.

We have been under an extreme fire ban in our state (SA) as well as NSW & Victoria since before Christmas. My hubby works for his brother in the fire prevention business and was on TV last week being interviewed, saying how dangerous this year could be because of the weather patterns changing all the time, rain one minute and heat the next, so most of the work that has been done, will most likely need to be done again to keep everyone safe.

Boy am I looking forward to WINTER

!!

Nicole

 

[ClickMini]

You can also use permanent marker and put your phone # on their hooves, that will stay on for sure.

Sending prayers and good thoughts your way.

 

[sedeh]

I wish we could send some of our rain down to Texas and Oklahoma! It's hard to believe how dry you guys are when we're so darn wet and flooding! My prayers are with you. I hate fires, we get bad ones up here in the summer. The last bad one we did set up a disaster plan for our whole community. It works really well and I often get heads-up emails for any problems in our area. I was gone from home once and a fire broke out up the block.....got home to several messages on my phone letting me know that people were ready to come evacuate my animals if needed(even if I wasn't home). Was good to know that people had an eye out for you even if you're not home. I think every community should develope a disaster plan. We test our phone tree periodically. They also recommended spray painting phone #'s on the animals as halters can be removed. Good luck.

 

[Stacy Score]

Bump - please keep us all posted all of you! Charlotte, Range, Lucy - how are things going?

Stac

 

[Becky]

At this time, I'm not aware of any fires in the Oklahoma City area. We are staying home today with water hoses hooked up to all outside faucets. Oklahoma is under an extreme fire danger today.

 

[Miniv]

You can also use permanent marker and put your phone # on their hooves, that will stay on for sure.
Sending prayers and good thoughts your way.

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Wow! Great idea!

MA

 

[Range]

So far, so good. The neighbors obeyed the fireworks ban and we made it through the day with no smoke sightings. The horses are all wearing their orange ribbons and the goats have their collars. Thank you for the good thoughts! I'm getting a rain dance ready....