smoke information/thoughts needed

mpete · #1 08/02/12, 12:22 PM

There is a large fire to the north of me: No worries, it's 3 miles and a lake away. But I am getting the smoke, and I know it has been mentioned before, but I was wondering if we could have a deeper discussion.

I have a couple of thoughts, but no proof on how to keep smoke away from the goats, so tell me what you all think.

#1 If you have a metal car port/barn with nothing burnable inside, can you lock the goats inside with misters going to take out the smoke?

#2 If the barn is 'open' on both ends, can you put up a screen type material to help block smoke from filtering in? What if you get it wet so it acts more like a cooler? (I have something hanging from one side of the barn that I wanted to put misters on to keep wet and it keeps the goats cooler)
(there is also a water-evaporative cooler installed for the goats)

#3 "IF" a fire ever were to head this direction, would the goats be safer
a) being loose on a well eaten down 3 acre pen
b) locked in the above mentioned barn
c) opening the gates and letting them fend for themselves

Now, another thing that may become a problem: I am on the local water departments water supply. I used to work there and I know that if there is extended pull on the system, then it is vaguely likely that I would loose water. So keep that in mind as you answer.

I do plan on "eventually" having a well dug, so that would cover all of my irrigation/animal needs, but that is several years into the future.

(of course, I will be stuffing them into the trailer but there is no way I can squish 30+ goats in a 4 horse trailer, so some would be left behind)

andabigmac · #2 08/02/12, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpete

There is a large fire to the north of me: No worries, it's 3 miles and a lake away. But I am getting the smoke, and I know it has been mentioned before, but I was wondering if we could have a deeper discussion.

I have a couple of thoughts, but no proof on how to keep smoke away from the goats, so tell me what you all think.

#1 If you have a metal car port/barn with nothing burnable inside, can you lock the goats inside with misters going to take out the smoke?

#2 If the barn is 'open' on both ends, can you put up a screen type material to help block smoke from filtering in? What if you get it wet so it acts more like a cooler? (I have something hanging from one side of the barn that I wanted to put misters on to keep wet and it keeps the goats cooler)
(there is also a water-evaporative cooler installed for the goats)

#3 "IF" a fire ever were to head this direction, would the goats be safer
a) being loose on a well eaten down 3 acre pen
b) locked in the above mentioned barn
c) opening the gates and letting them fend for themselves

Now, another thing that may become a problem: I am on the local water departments water supply. I used to work there and I know that if there is extended pull on the system, then it is vaguely likely that I would loose water. So keep that in mind as you answer.

I do plan on "eventually" having a well dug, so that would cover all of my irrigation/animal needs, but that is several years into the future.

(of course, I will be stuffing them into the trailer but there is no way I can squish 30+ goats in a 4 horse trailer, so some would be left behind)

Oh sweetie! I'll pray for everyone's safety! I know how scary and frustrating this is.
#1-2 Yes, but honestly, it doesn't help much. I locked my goats in shelters with wet sheets and fans which helped a little but if oxygen can get in so can smoke. The fans also pushed the smoke low where the goats were when it swirled. Maybe if they were in a barn with a high powered fan on one side but seriously, the air has to be pulled in from somewhere so you may just be blowing smoke through the barn.
My goats still have a bit of a cough from smoke damage. The vet said they'll get over it.

#3 That's hard to answer. Would it be grass fire or timber fire? We had the same problem with more animals than trailer and I was at the "who do I save?" stage. We ended up ripping all of the cushions etc out of the motor home to turn it into a makeshift goat transporter. I honestly don't think a goat could outrun a fire. I don't know how your property is laid out so it's hard to say if they would be safer in the barn or field. Especially if you couldn't drench the field because of water flow issues. Could you start now and start taking small loads of goats to a safe place? Can you back burn around your property or make a fire break? Or back burn around the 3 acre pasture?

Good luck! Please let us know how things are going.

Steph in MT · #3 08/02/12, 02:18 PM

Sending positive thoughts your way that the fire steers clear of you.
We had to evacuate due to a huge fast moving forest fire about a month ago. We could tell it was going to be bad so started gathering all the goats and sheep into one small pen so we knew we'd be able to find them all.
We stuffed all but out two biggest boys into dog carriers and put them in the back of the truck and the sheep with her three lambs went into the back of my Subaru wagon. All we could do for the two big boys was open their pen and hope for the best. We only have a two horse trailer so had to let one horse and the mini-donkeys free as well.
Luckily the fire just missed us and the critters we turned loose all made it home. We are now in the market for a bigger stock trailer as it was terrible to have to "play God" and pick and choose who we left behind.
I left all but ten of my best birds behind as well.
In an emergency situation, I say stuff all those goats into the trailer- their chances of survival are much better than left behind.
A lot of livestock that were turned loose died horrible deaths in this fire here.
Don't underestimate the speed or ability to change direction of a fire.
Be safe and keep us posted.

Molly Mckee · #4 08/02/12, 02:34 PM

I agree with Steph, getting them out--no matter how crowded is the best.
If you can't, one of my neighbor's did put an irrigation type sprinkler on her horses in a small corral, the fire missed their place by a few hundred feet and the horses made it. However, if the power goes out the water will go off. Forest fires create their own weather, make winds, and eat up oxygen, it's no place to leave an animal if you can move them. One thing that bothers me is the curiosity many animals have about fire. I'm not sure a goat or horse will leave a fire area in time on their own.