I just wanted to keep you updated with the situation out here, we have several devastating wildfires in our area and the last few days have been quite challenging for us and so many people around us who may have not been as fortunate as we are and lost their homes.
On Thursday evening I got text messages that our barn is getting evacuated because the fire is getting closer. I have been told my horse would be transported to Pierce College but after waiting there for more than 2 hours I got really worried.
I have been told to stay there and not drive towards the fire because I would not get through, so I called my husband and he took me in his car and we flew down the Freeway, he convinced the police that we needed to find our horse we and simply ran up to everybody asking if they know Burt and know where he is. People were running around trying to get out – there were Horses and trailers everywhere, Police, Fire Fighters…… chaos.. finally we found him in the back yard of a house.
We took him and again ran around asking everybody with a trailer if we can get a ride to Pierce College, the local Emergency Shelter for Horses. The people in Agoura Hills and Malibu are amazing, most of them have animals, lots of Horses and Dogs out there and everybody was trying to do their best to stay calm and help everybody.
We were able to get Burt lifted out to Pierce College, the shelter was full by that time, no more corals and boxes available so we had to leave him roped on in the arena. Thankfully he was able to be next to his buddy JJ – his neighbor horse at the barn, so he was not all by himself.
The next days were exhausting – we tried to be with the horses as much as possible, walk them – my car is a huge mess, I have 2 hay bales in my trunk to feed him, lots of carrots and apples and basic necessities. The weather is very uncomfortable, huge winds, cold at night, my skin on my hands and on my face are cracked open and on top of it Dmitry and I both felt under the weather, plus we had showcase at our studio last night.
Being a dancer for all my life has trained me well to deal with overwhelming situations – we never give up and we always get the job done no matter what. We know that the show must go on.
Dmitry was able to get to the barn today, some structures are completely gone, some are ok. Burt’s stall was on fire, all the mats are melted into the ground, but for some miraculous reason his blanket is still hanging up as if nothing happened….
Rebuilding has started and we are hoping to be able to bring back the horses soon.
Thank you to all helpers and volunteers, everybody has been above and beyond to rescue all the horses and animals, people have really come together here.
Thank you to our fire fighters, this is overwhelming and you do whatever you can with superhuman effort.
Love and prayers to everybody affected, especially to all people who lost their homes.
xo BB