CBS Los AngelesIncredible footage shows the moment a stallion runs back into the California wildfires to save its family, including a young foal.
The horse can be seen running towards danger in an attempt to help guide the two other horses to safety as the Easy Fire ravaged parts of the Simi Valley near Los Angeles earlier this week.
The ginormous blaze erupted early on Wednesday morning, October 30, burning more than 1,300 acres in just a few hours and resulting in several horses running to safety to escape it.
You can watch the moment the horse runs back into the fires below:
Dozens of kindhearted strangers came together to help the group of horses and other small animals trapped in the area by attempting to confine them as they galloped freely across a major road, CBS Los Angeles reports.
Journalists at the scene filmed one particularly tense moment when one of the horses, which had already been rescued from the area, ran back into the smoke-filled forest to save two other horses and lead them to safety.
When the flames came dangerously close to the frightened animals, people could be seen running into the barn housing the horses and trying to move them to safety. Because of the help of these strangers, all but one of the horses were moved to safety.
Tragically, one horse – a 28-year-old Mayer – had to be put down at the scene after breaking her two front legs in an attempt to escape from the fire.
CBS Los AngelesAt the fire’s peak, approximately 30,000 people were forced to evacuate the surrounding areas while 2,000 people were under voluntary evacuations. Around 7,000 structures were threatened, CBS Los Angeles reports.
According to the Ventura County Fire Department, the Easy Fire had scorched 1,723 acres on Thursday evening, October 31, and was only 10% contained. More than 1,000 firefighters continue to tackle the blaze.
Several roads were forced to close as a result of the fire jumping the 23 Freeway, with dozens of Ventura County schools which were closed on Wednesday remaining closed throughout the week.
#EasyFire UPDATE: More than 1,000 firefighters continuing to battle 1,648 acre brush fire with 0% containment. Approximately 30,000 community members under mandatory evacuations + 2,000 under voluntary evacuations. Cause under investigation. @CountyVentura @Venturaoes @VCFD_PIO pic.twitter.com/CdMynePH0D
— Ventura County Fire (@VCFD) October 31, 2019
The Easy Fire is just one in a series of blazes California firefighters are attempting to extinguish, with a new wildfire – the Maria Fire – erupting north of Los Angeles last night, October 31, and quickly spreading over 8,000 acres. None of that fire has currently been contained.
As reported by CBS News, firefighters are also attempting to extinguish the following wildfires: the Kincade Fire (60% contained); the Getty Fire (39% contained); the 46 Fire (15% contained); and the Hillside Fire (50% contained).
The Getty Fire in Los Angeles and the Kincade Fire in Sonoma County broke out within days of each other last week, although Cal Fire representative Jonathan Cox confirmed earlier this week that firefighters had made ‘pretty significant progress’ battling the Kincade blaze.
Our thoughts are with those affected by the devastating California fires.
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A Broadcast Journalism Masters graduate who went on to achieve an NCTJ level 3 Diploma in Journalism, Lucy has done stints at ITV, BBC Inside Out and Key 103. While working as a journalist for UNILAD, Lucy has reported on breaking news stories while also writing features about mental health, cervical screening awareness, and Little Mix (who she is unapologetically obsessed with).