Mounted search and rescue

[Sabine <ranch@tektrail.com>]

The Las Conchas fire has been the fastest growing wild fire in NM history (considering the fuel type - a grass fire could go faster). Humidity levels in NM are extremely low (single digits) and where wind and fire team together there has been no way of stopping the flames. The fire grew w/i 2 hrs to over 1000 ac and in w/i 12 hours to 43,000 ac. IC teams are just not used to such violent fire behavior, and response windows have been extremely short. The settlement (Cochiti Mesa) just east of the point of ignition (a tree hit a power lines after being felled by high winds) was evacuated with 10 minutes to spare before the arrival of the flames. No human lives were lost although there were a few narrow escapes under difficult conditions.  Horses had to let go (not a good practice) to avoid having them die in their corrals. Stock recovery teams are now searching the area for surviving cattle and horses. Some cows have been recovered while the released horses are still amiss. I am wondering about their chance of survival.
This fire has been extreme and it has driven home the point for me (and many others) that there are situations that defy human intervention and well conceived evac plans. You have to get out before disaster hits if you can ... and then there are times when one cannot even do that as it happened in Cochiti Mesa scenario.
I am glad to hear that the horses on the North Mesa of Los Alamos could be evacuated in a fairly organized manner. It looks like that the facilities are not under direct threat although it appears that the poor air quality east of the fire warrants an evacuation. Getting out earlier surely beats excited people loading exited horses in the middle of the night with flames lapping at their heels.


On 6/30/2011 9:04 AM, una.smith@att.net wrote:

1309446265.29624.YahooMailClassic@web180309.mail.gq1.yahoo.com" type="cite">

Evacuation of horses was facilitated by our veterinarian, who administered tranquilizers to any horses deemed to need it to load safely.  Out of about 250 horses, only one could not be loaded.  That is to say, the owners gave up.  Horses and people alike were very excited, which made loading all that more difficult.

It really is important to practice loading, even if you go nowhere.  But, and this is where tact becomes so important, many people who fear loading in an emergency also fear loading in a practice context.  Often they will not participate in a clinic, and need private coaching and a lot of support.

_______________________________________________
MSAR-Riders mailing list
MSAR-Riders@lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/msar-riders