Lessons from the Ashes

This article is from the January 2021 Horse Deals magazine.

Article: Rachel Clayfield.

A chaos-filled 2020 has been no distraction from the fact that Australia is now 12 months on from the worst fire season we’ve experienced in modern history. The bushfires that spanned over more than just the summer months had an astronomical impact, burning tens of millions of hectares and destroying over 3,000 homes.

For horse people, the thought of our beloved partners being caught in a bushfire is an instant stomach-churner. To hear first-hand about what navigating through a bushfire with horses is like, Horse Deals spoke to New South Wales citizens, pleasure rider, Kate McEntee and Arabian owner Julie Johnson.

For two months the Green Wattle Creek Fire tore through the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. Oakdale-based Kate McEntee had a plan in place, and in early December when the fire jumped Lake Burragorang, ten kilometres away, she sprung into action.

“I was at work on Monday, the 2nd of December, when I received the call to say that the fire had jumped the lake,” Kate recounts. “I left work and we got the two horses, dogs, tack and valuables off the property. We’d been through a similar situation back in 2001, so we knew how quick the fires could move. Plus the bush was even worse this time; it was so dry and there was so much fuel, like leaves and branches, on the ground.

“One of my horses can be difficult to catch and float, so my husband and I made the decision to act straight away. It was smokey and the horses knew that something was up, so it did take a bit of coaxing to catch that particular horse and get her onto the float. We moved the horses to my aunty and uncle’s, which although is only 20 minutes away, is not surrounded by bush, and we knew the horses would be safe there. Then we went back to help our neighbours move their horses and we stayed to protect our home.

“The fire was in containment lines until around Wednesday, when the wind picked up badly and the fire was out of control again. We did what we could; wetting down the house and stable walls and keeping the gutters filled. Within one afternoon it reached within 500 metres of the house. The wind kept changing direction and on Friday, the fire again threatened, but luckily for us, it circled around.

“When you’re in that moment, the adrenaline kicks in,” explains Kate when asked how she coped. “We didn’t sleep properly for two or three nights and I don’t think I cried, it was just the most stressful thing. You just hope.

“Being in a bushfire is eerie and quiet. You can just hear the fire trucks going back and forth, the helicopters flying so low to pick up water from the dams, and the flames crackling in the trees. The sky was thick with smoke; we had t-shirts covering our faces and it stung our eyes. We couldn’t breathe and we’d have hot ash landing on us.

“We were so fortunate to have been able to move our animals days before and I can’t stress enough how important it is to have a plan. Some of the things that we have in place are to make sure that we are either not far from our property, or have someone with horse experience close by, in case of an emergency. We also have my aunty and uncle’s place organised to evacuate our horses if needed. And if for some reason we are unable to get our horses out, I will write my number on their hooves, take all rugs and fly veils off and let them into an open area.

“We can’t believe it’s already been a year since that awful week. The thing is, we’ve already had some 43°C days, and a repeat is not impossible, it can burn again. We hope that it doesn’t but we are prepared if we have to be.”

Further North at Torrington, New South Wales, Julie Johnson didn’t have the option of evacuating her nine horses before fire blazed through her 130 acres. It was early November, 2019, when the bushfire started in the Torrington State Forest, and only days later when it reached Julie’s property. Living in a reasonably remote area, the nearest evacuation points for horses were an hour’s drive to either Glen Innes or Tenterfield, and these were already filling up with evacuees from other blazes. To try to get nine horses out before the firefront was just not feasible.

“We were lucky in that we had around 24 hours notice of the fire coming through,” says Julie. “We were watching it get closer and closer, and overnight it burnt 600 hectares. In one way, we were lucky that we were one of the first properties that were hit, as a few Rural Fire Service workers had time to come around and give us advice on ways we could protect the property.

“They recommended which items should be moved away from the house and we graded a fire break around the dwelling. One of the RFS crew asked me about my horses and what my plan was. I explained how I was going to put eight of my horses into my 70 acre paddock that didn’t have many trees in it, and I planned to put my stallion in a metal round yard with sprinklers. The crew member replied ‘he’ll die, that’s a surefire way to kill him.’ What I didn’t realise is that when the fire hits, the wind comes in sideways, from all directions and the sprinklers would be useless. The suggestion was to put him in a separate paddock, so we found a reasonably clear paddock across the road.

“It was the 8th of November, just past noon, when the fire came through our property. About an hour before the fire arrived, my dominant mare took the herd to the centre of the paddock where there were no trees, grass or ground cover, and she kept them there. That to me, is instinct, because I know that none of them had ever been through a fire before.

“I evacuated to the local fire station, but my husband stayed at the house. We lost the chicken shed, the horse yards and 85% of our fencing, but thankfully the house was fine. After the fire, the eight larger horses were still standing in that same spot, and when it got to dinner time the dominant mare brought them back to where the yards used to be. I’m still shocked that the horses stayed in their paddock, even after the fire, while we got the fences back up.

“When I got back and found the horses were OK, I cried and cried, mostly with relief. They had a few burns and cuts, but nothing really major. To begin with we couldn’t find the stallion, and his paddock was completely trashed, so I was quite panicked. In his paddock trees were down everywhere, and there were no fences as the wire had been so badly affected by the heat. The sights were gross. There were animal remains everywhere. It was really horrible and I was so worried that I’d lost him. Come feed time though, he came barrelling up the road, demanding dinner. There were so many tears. Going through that fire was the most horrific experience I have ever had with horses. I never, never want to go through it again.”

However, out of the gloom came a few shining lights. “We had amazing anonymous people who just kept bringing hay for the horses,” Julie beams. “Every day someone would pop in with some sort of hay for the horses. Weeks later, another anonymous donor donated fencing material. And around three or four weeks after the fire, the RFS crew member who helped me with the horses, dropped back in to make sure that we got through it OK.”

“I’ve learnt that preparation is really key. Have a plan and stick to it, but also be open to suggestions. I had a plan with my stallion and that was to leave him in the metal yard, thinking that metal doesn’t burn, but that wasn’t the best option. For this season, I’ve kept one of my paddocks slashed really low. God forbid that another fire threatens us, but that’s where they’ll go. I’d know what to do this time, I’d certainly be far more calm.

“I was on edge for weeks after that fire,” Julie says somberly. “We didn’t do Christmas at all that year. Our little village lost a couple of houses, so we all banded together to try and find accommodation and belongings for the people that had lost more than us. The sense of community that came out was incredible.”

These stories are two of many that can be told from last fire season. Kate and Julie could not express how grateful they are to have their animals and homes still with them. Sadly, many were not so lucky. This is your call to action; if you’re not prepared for a bushfire or grassfire, now is the time to make change.

If you need support after reading this article you can contact Lifeline 24/7 on 13 11 14.
For more information on being fire-ready, and to create an emergency fire plan, you can visit your state fire department website:
WA: www.dfes.wa.gov.au • NT: pfes.nt.gov.au • SA: www.cfs.sa.gov.au • QLD: www.qfes.qld.gov.au
NSW: www.rfs.nsw.gov.au • VIC: www.cfa.vic.gov.au • TAS: www.fire.tas.gov.au

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