The confronting advice to save horses trapped in bushfires
As bushfires rage out of control across Victoria, destroying homes and evacuating families, many residents are running out of time to get their animals to safety.
Panicked horses were seen fleeing embers in Bunyip State Park in the state’s east and one resident walked her horses on foot for 10 kilometres after the roads were shut.
Some have no choice but to leave their horses on the threatened properties and a Country Fire Authority volunteer has shared confronting advice on how to give them the best chance.
“I am seeing a few responses saying roads are blocked. If you cannot evacuate your horses, turn the electric fence off immediately,” she wrote in a Facebook post.
“Purple spray or horse make up or your makeup even! Paint your phone number onto the horse.
“If you have time, cut their tail so it doesn’t touch the ground. It does not need to be up to the dock if you don’t want, we just don’t want it dragging on the ground.
“I would cut halfway up leg and plait if you have time.”
The volunteer and “farm girl” also advised horse owners to remove halters, harnesses, rugs and fly masks – and anything extra on their bodies – to avoid it burning or getting caught.
“Open all gates but first! Move them to a paddock with the shortest amount of grass,” she said.
“Horses are not dumb, don’t keep them trapped, allow them to run from fire.
“In saying all this I have been lucky enough to never be in the situation you are currently in, and this is only what I have been taught, I cannot tell you this is [fool] proof or not, at the end of the day it is your judgement and your horses.”
Some responded to the volunteer’s advice, saying they followed similar rules during the Black Saturday fires in 2009.
“[My horse] survived due to been able to run into gullies as fire balls went through our property,” one woman wrote, explaining she left the paddock gate open before evacuating.
Multiple homes and structures have been destroyed in the blaze that took hold in the state’s east on Saturday.
The largest fire is burning out of control through the Bunyip State Park towards the Princes Highway, about 65km east of Melbourne. More than 6000 hectares have burnt since starting from multiple lightning strikes on Friday.
Labertouche is expected to be impacted by the fire by noon and about 30 homes were doorknocked and told to evacuate.
Others in areas including Bunyip, Cornucopia, Garfield, Gentle Annie, Longwarry, Maryknoll, Nar Nar Goon, Tonimbuk and Tynong have been told it is too late to leave and take shelter immediately.
More than 800 firefighters are on the fire ground with 10 aircraft and 100 tankers.
The hot and windy conditions are expected to linger until Wednesday.
