As more than 180 wildfires burn in British Columbia, and nearly 40,000 residents are under order to evacuate, several online resources have emerged to assist livestock owners.
This wildfire animal rescue map, for example, identifies locations where people can access trailering, pasture horses temporarily and plan evacuation routes. It will be especially helpful, as the fires have forced the closure of some major highways.
Plus, the BC’s Emergency LivestockAnimal Evacuation Group Facebook page was created to provide information to horse owners looking to relocate their animals.
Several news agencies are sharing harrowing tales of horse owners on the run, including one woman’s story of packing up her 20 horses and four dogs and fleeing her home in 108 Mile Ranch, B.C.
There are also stories of communities coming together to help each other, such as a group in Cache Creek, who worked to evacuate horses and cattle from farms already ablaze.
The SPCA and Canadian Disaster Animal Response Team have deployed teams to help those in need as well.
This is the first time a provincial state of emergency has been declared in 14 years. Of the 550 fires that have raged in the province since April, nearly half ignited in just the last two weeks. As annual weather patterns change, it is feared the situation could become much worse.
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