Evacuee horses fill fairgrounds

Two burros, two llamas and 84 horses took shelter at the Orange County Fairgrounds Monday as wildfires continued to blaze across the region. When the stalls were filled, horses were driven into a large arena together.

Not an ideal situation — the animals could become aggressive and fight — but “better than the alternative,” said Mitch Brazeal, an office manager at the fairgrounds equestrian center.

“Owners are willing to overlook a few cuts and scrapes under the circumstances,” Brazeal said.

The equestrian center is a designated emergency drop off place for “evacuee big animals,” said Ed Agner, a supervisor in the public safety department at the fairgrounds.

A steady stream of horse and other large-animal owners from as far away as Rancho Santa Fe began arriving at the fairgrounds late Sunday evening to seek shelter for their animals, Brazeal said.

“It all happened very quickly,” said Doug Lofstrom, vice president of events and facilities at the fairgrounds. “They started coming early this morning, and before you know it, we have 80 large animals.”

The fairgrounds had accepted about six evacuated animals by sunrise Monday. By 3 p.m., the facility had filled up and fairgrounds officials were advising owners to park their horse trailers on the grounds and hitch their horses outside.

“People have been very appreciative of what we’re doing here,” Lofstrom said. “Most of the animal owners were not part of mandatory evacuations, but the owners are being very proactive and getting their animals out of harm’s way.”

Cindy Bratty and Gretchen Jones arrived with their two horses from the O’Neill Park/Trabuco Canyon area, close to the Modjeska Canyon area, where mandatory evacuations had begun.

Afraid they wouldn’t be able to get their animals out in trailers if their area was evacuated eventually, the women loaded a total of five horses — three belonging to neighbors — in two trailers and headed to Costa Mesa.

Temporary pipe stalls had been set up in what is usually the show arena, and the women were walking their horses in circles to try and calm them.

Bratty said the wind was causing the horses to be skittish, “but the fire was making them crazy.

“The animals are very stressed. The wind is bad enough, but they can smell the smoke and know they should flee, and they can’t.”

Bratty has never had to evacuate with her animals before, and said the experience has been a nightmare.

“I hope I never have to do this again,” she said.

Most of the four-legged evacuees were from areas affected by a fire raging in and around Irvine such as Santiago and Trabuco canyons, Brazeal said. But a few came from as far away as Rancho Santa Fe in San Diego County, which was under mandatory evacuation orders late Monday afternoon.

“Everything is going about as well as can be expected,” Brazeal said. “We’re working hard to take care of everyone.”

The Department of Public Safety is monitoring the evacuation at the fairgrounds, and all owners must show identification and are photographed with their animals for security purposes.

Bratty said more owners were on their way with horse trailers from her area, and officials at the fairgrounds said they will continue to erect temporary stalls, and will not turn anyone away.

However, Egner said they are beginning to divert animals to two other designated evacuation facilities – Oak Blenheim in San Juan Capistrano, and Industry Hills near Whittier.

Lofstrom advised animal owners to call the fairground’s 24-hour dispatch line at (714) 708-1588 for the latest information on animal evacuation facilities.