Fire Prevention In Barns

Last week I concluded my 4-part series of preventing fires in barns. It is a subject that I am very passionate about, and recently I completed a course in Fire and Emergency Preparedness.

In the past 3 months, over 150 horses have died in barn fires, all of which were caused by human error, including from smoking, welding and burning brush, all in close proximity to the barns. And sadly, 30 Standardbreds were killed in a fire set by an arsonist at Tioga Downs in November.

To recap, it is estimated that 80-85% of barn fires are caused by human error, whether smoking, welding, burn piles and faulty electrical.

A barn can be fully engulfed in fire in 5-7 minutes, with dangerous smoke levels at 3-5 minutes. It is unrealistic to expect that the fire department will arrive in time to extinguish the fire and save the lives of horses. In most scenarios, the horses are dead from smoke inhalation by the time firefighters arrive.

Every barn owner, manager, employee and horse owner should take a good look at their barn and do whatever needs to be implemented to reduce the risk of a barn fire.

Everything about a barn construction screams fire hazard, from the materials being used, bedding, rubber mats, hay and landscaping. In most designs, fire safety takes a back seat to aesthetics. Many barns are built with no regards in how to evacuate a horse in case of fire, such as having secondary doors on the back side of each stall and several entrances and exits throughout the barn.

Professional electricians should evaluate electrical systems periodically. Look for exposed wires, chewed cords, lack of conduit, wires within reach of horses, use of extension cords, incorrect use of fans which are not rated for barns, lighting, lack of outdoor panels or outlets and an insufficient or overloaded sized panel.

Therefore, prevention is critical through management practices, facility design, emergency planning and drills.

Barns should install suppression systems and alarms which will work best for their setting, including smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, sprinklers and rate of rise heat detectors.

Fires need 3 things to burn: an ignition source (spark or intense heat), a fuel source (combustible material) and oxygen.

The fuel source can smolder for hours. Tests in a 12 × 12 stall showed two bales of fresh straw took just one minute for fire to create an air temperature of 374 degrees Fahrenheit.

It is not possible to survive more than short exposure to 150 degrees Fahrenheit and the tissues of the lungs will be destroyed. Animals must be rescued within 30 seconds for no injury. After one minute, the lungs are seared and by 3 minutes, the animal is dead.

Proper ventilation, suppression and compartmentalization are keys to slowing the spread of fire and allowing for time for first responders to remove horses.

Prevention tips include:

• No Smoking in and around barn!

• Store hay and bedding in separate buildings.

• Use only approved outdoor rated fans.

• Have an electrician inspect your wiring.

• Never use heaters in a barn.

• Remove cobwebs and dust.

• Utilize fire extinguishers and other suppression systems.

• Stalls should have a back door and there should be multiple exits.

• Have a fire plan and practice it.

• Ask your local fire department to provide a free assessment.

• Unplug extension cords and appliances when not in use.

• Never coil extension cords, use only outdoor rated and never use cords which are frayed. Keep out of reach of horses.

In event of a fire, call 911 and have someone notify your vet. Try to remove horses which are accessible, but never go into a burning barn due to risk of collapse or smoke inhalation. Horses should be taught to lead by just a lead rope and never attempt to blindfold a horse…this is a Hollywood fallacy and can be dangerous.

Horses’ hair can continue to burn, so they must be hosed off. Do not attempt to remove any items such as halters or blankets which have melted into their skin. Vets must do a thorough examination, as horses have been known to crash days afterwards and therefore must be treated aggressively.

There is no predictability to the time, location and facility or climate when it comes to fires. They happen as often in cold weather as in hot weather. Therefore, it is extremely important that barn owners, managers and horse owners implement every aspect possible to prevent the risk of a fire.

Through education, better facility design or retrofitting existing barns, alert systems and suppression systems, planning and drills, the chance of a fire can be reduced and the lives of horses can be saved.

To read the full article, please visit this blog to read parts one-four.

Thank you for reading this blog on this important topic. Please share with your friends, horse owners, barn owners and barn managers. And thanks again to Dr. Rebecca Husted for lending her expertise on the subject. Preventing barn fires will be covered in my upcoming book, Common Sense Horse Keeping, to be published September 15, 2024 by Lilith House Press.