Posted on 12/06/2017 2:52:43 PM PST by BenLurkin
Amid the charred landscape of Little Tujunga Canyon Road in Sylmar on Wednesday stood the remains of Rancho Padilla and the carcasses of nearly 30 horses who died in the fast-moving Creek fire.
The Padilla family was there Wednesday morning, surveying the smoldering ranch that their father built more than 20 years ago. They somberly counted up the dead horses, whose charred bodies lined dozens of stalls. The family, who lives up the hill from the ranch, had awakened Tuesday to flames. One firetruck came and told them to leave.
“All I could think about was the horses, the horses, the horses. And they were like, ‘Get out, get out, get out,’ ” said Patricia Padilla, whose family owns the ranch. “The structures can get rebuilt, but the lives of the horses can’t. ... That’s my biggest heartbreak.”
The ranch, which boards horses, had more than 60 housed there, said Virginia Padilla, Patricia’s older sister. They put the count of dead horses at 29.
The family was familiar with each owner and would be calling them throughout the day to deliver the grim news and offer condolences.
On Wednesday morning, the smell of fire hung in the air and mixed with the odor of burned carcasses. Blackened horseshoes and traces of blood littered the stalls as a heavy silence blanketed the ranch. The stillness was broken only occasionally by the whinnies of a surviving horse and the crowing of a rooster.
Shelby Hope brought Oscar Martinez, a horse owner, and others up Wednesday morning to see whether the horses had survived and how she could help. She’s been coming to the ranch for about five years, to attend rodeos and spend time with friends.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
The speed these California fires move is scary compared to even a fast NM fire. Plus, there are far fewer people where I am.
In October, 1978, an arsonist used a crude home-made fire bomb to start a devastating firestorm. He lit a cigarette and stuffed its butt into a book of matches, which he stuffed into a Dixie cup. Then he threw the device into a clump of dry chaparral behind a shopping mall next to Rte. 101 in Agoura, Calif.
The cigarette served as a slow-burning fuse that ignited the matches, which in turn ignited the cup, which set fire to the chaparral.
The resulting fire burned from Rte. 101 all the way to the ocean, about 10 miles away, and destroyed about 250 homes, including the Malibu mansion of band leader Gordon Jenkins.
Incidentally, they caught the arsonist.
That is a point everybody needs to remember, fires then mudslides are annual seasonal events in SoCal.
They were always there but the people affected have moved in making themselves vulnerable to the annual natural cycles. Then they complain when the cameras are turned on that government didn't do enough.
We lost our property in the Cedar Fire (El Cajon - Harbison Canyon) along with others. It was stunning how many people didn't have insurance then bitched and complained, even sued to get other people's money to rebuild.
BTW, USAA took very good care of us during that time.
They will run but come home eventually
Horses ALWAYS want to get back to the corral for that sweet flake of hay
There’s a reason the phrase “bolting for the paddock” exists
A buddy of mine in Los Feliz said it’s crazy out there
He was stuck on the 101 near 1000 Oaks for five hours after the 210 closed
I don’t know how y’all do it
Twenty plus years ago I made a trip to the NRA Whittington Center and visited Santa Fe when I was in the area.
I have friends in the Austin, Texas area who have a 2nd home there, they're always excited when they speak of the place.
I remember that it was becoming an 'artsy-fartsy' type place even then.
Yes, it moved so fast and was pushed by 60-70 mile per hour winds. It must seem like hell there right now.
I had a stud roan a few years back....if he got a whiff on strong mense in the air he’d jump the fence and off he went
Last time was five miles away
I sold him.....
:)
Part of it may be related to the environmental policies in the state. My wife remembers decades ago her father being able to enter local forest areas and removing dead brush and trees that could be used for kindling and fires. Between those policies and the lack of funds to have state workers perform this type of clearing out, it's just a matter of time before a major fire erupts in the state.
“And the reason the owner didn’t evacuate the horses when the fire was first threatening was.... And they left them locked in their stalls with no hope of escape while they ran because....
No sympathy for these people. All sympathy for their animals.”
Thats two of us. Open the god damned stalls already! It wasnt the Dresden fire bombing..there should have been time.
Not these people but its not unheard of for some souless horse racing set types to cause fires to collect insurance on their over the hill steeds.
“California is pretty much desert when you get right down to it. Much of the brush actually contains oil — such as creosote — because the dry conditions preclude them retaining water. So, when the environment is dry and the winds are blowing any little spark can set off a fire. I was born and raised in Southern California, and fires were an annual thing.”
Somehow you gotta know the criminal California government is complicit with some pc laws against periodic clearing of brush, controlled burns, or any other rational fire prevention activities.
One look at the country side tell you pretty much what you need to know. It’s unmaintained brush country and they insist on building their houses not just at the edge but in the middle of it. On the ranch we have a perimeter we maintain around the house for just such reason. We lost 14 square miles of ranch 6 years ago due to fire but no property damage to buildings or wells due to maintained perimeters. I would say the number one culprit for the fires is wind an hi-lines. Human error or intention being next.
Good grief, RIP poor horses... and poor family that loved them. Tragedy.
It’s not complex. Strong winds knock down trees, limbs, etc which knock down power lines which can cause fires. And so much dry brush, millions of acres on the mountains and hills surrounding populated areas. Some are arson, most are not.
Well said.
Taught to me here some years ago by Texas Cowboy, may God bless his soul.
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