On Tuesday May 3, 2016, the city of Fort McMurray, Alberta began to burn. A nearby wildfire had been threatening the oilsands capital for several days and a shift in winds turned the blaze on the city, forcing thousands to flee. As of May 6th, it was estimated that the wildfire has destroyed 100,000 hectares of land. By May 8th, it had spread to 161,000 hectares.
Heartbreaking and awe-inspiring stories of heroic evacuations of families, including household pets and horses are being shared on social media.
In one image, a young woman is seen riding one horse and leading two others out of the city. It was later reported that she had made it out safely and was headed south.
A news report featured 16-year-old Jada Polem, who rode her Quarter Horse mare, Mya, through bumper-to-bumper traffic to meet her family, including two other horses, south of Fort McMurray, where they planned to camp and wait out the flames.
In another report Stacy Clough describes rescuing three horses from a nearby stable, and offering them refuge in her suburban backyard.
Cora Dion, shared with Global News, her family’s ordeal, trying to evacuate herself, two daughters, four horses, three dogs and one cat.
An Alberta photographer, Greg Halinda, posted an image of a young woman grazing a horse in a school yard, noting that he had seen many people evacuating their pets.
Another Alberta resident, Miles Lacorte, snapped a photo of two horses in traffic during the evacuation.
During this extremely trying time, several organizations have stepped up to offer help to those with animals who have been forced to leave their homes. Click here for a list.
Several groups of volunteers have stepped up to collect and distribute supplies to those in need, including the Western Canadian Powerstrokes, a charitable group of truck enthusiasts who have helped refuel emergency vehicles and stranded motorists. Some brave souls have also opted to retrieve lost or abandoned pets from deserted homes.
Click here to learn more about the Alberta Equestrian Federation’s campaign to the Fort McMurray equine community.
Horse Racing Alberta will be collecting donations on behalf of the Alberta Equestrian Federation for the Fort McMurray equine community. Cash donations can be dropped off between Monday – Friday: 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Contact Theresa at 403-540-8707 to drop off tack and horse care items or for more information.
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