Long Island horses evacuated due to wildfires

Brush fires on New York’s Long Island that began on Monday afternoon displaced many residents, including equines. Long Island has a sizeable equestrian community, and many horses were moved as the fires continued to burn in the eastern part of the island early this week.

This morning, Manorville Fire Chief Elio Zapparrata announced that the wildfire had been successfully put out, although smaller, smoldering ashes could still exist within the 1,100 acres destroyed by the blaze.

According to an article from Patch.com several large stables in the area were at risk. Farms in safer areas have been opening their doors to evacuees from other stables. The winds shifted earlier this week, changing the course of the fires to narrowly miss some large stables in the town of Manorville.

The close community of horse owners in the region allowed for safe, if chaotic, evacuation. A facebook page titled “Long Island Equine Disaster Preparedness,” which was created by a self-described “backyard horse owner” in the wake of Hurricane Irene, has been instrumental in providing information and networking for horse owners in the area.

Some residential areas remain without power this morning, but it is likely that evacuees, including horses, will be able to return to their homes.

Further Reading
Fire Safety Equipment
Extinguish the Threat of Barn Fires