Volunteers rescue livestock as massive wildfire forces evacuations in B.C.

As the Bald Range wildfire raged near Summerland, British Columbia, a dedicated group of volunteers mobilized to rescue livestock and farm animals from evacuation zones. The fire, which sparked Friday afternoon, prompted thousands of residents to prepare for departure, but the immediate concern for many was the safety of their animals.

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We jumped in our trucks and come here, and we’ve been 24 hours now straight.

Kaz Nowlin, part of a small group responding to fires across the interior, described their 24-hour effort. "We jumped in our trucks and come here, and we’ve been 24 hours now straight," he told Global News. The group successfully rescued 52 horses, 25 goats, six sheep, and several dogs and cats.

Another couple in the Summerland horse riding community also worked tirelessly to evacuate animals. "It’s everything. It’s not just horses; it’s been chickens, goats, it’s a wide variety, right, and people love their animals and we understand," Chelsie Lesnoski said. Social media was flooded with calls for help locating animals left behind as flames advanced.

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When we figured it out this morning, we were at 52 horses, 25 goats, six sheep, couple dogs, some cats.

Some animals, like horses, have shown an instinct to return to their corrals once the immediate danger passes. "The second rescue that we did was the same thing," Nowlin noted. "They had come back to their corral after everything was safe, and you know, horses are pretty smart. They’ll come back."

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It’s everything. It’s not just horses; it’s been chickens, goats, it’s a wide variety, right, and people love their animals and we understand.

The B.C. Livestock Producers Co-op has opened its Okanagan Falls stockyard to accommodate evacuated cattle, with additional space available in Kamloops, providing a crucial resource for displaced animals.

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The second rescue that we did was the same thing. They had come back to their corral after everything was safe, and you know, horses are pretty smart. They’ll come back.