Middle Ranch in Lake View Terrace, CA, via Facebook
Many horses, trainers and barns are displaced after wildfires raged out of control in Southern California on December 5, 2017. Five major wildfires in and around Los Angeles county are still ongoing today, with over 50,000 combined acres burning during what has become California’s most destructive fire season on record. Hot and dry Santa Ana winds were to blame for the most recent fires.
Of those fires, it was the 11,000 acre Creek Fire, which continues to burn today at 0% containment, that claimed the storied Middle Ranch on Little Tujunga Canyon Road in Lake View Terrace on Tuesday.
The multi-trainer Middle Ranch was home to Meadowgrove Stables’ Francie Steinwedell Carvin and Dick Carvin with Zazou Hoffman; Susan Artes Stables; Archie Cox’s Brookway Stables, and others. The fire destroyed the structures of Middle Ranch, but all horses, animals and people were able to safely evacuate from the facility. However, it was said that Rancho Padilla, located one mile north of Middle Ranch, lost 29 Quarter Horse and Andalusians to the fire.
The Hansen Dam Equestrian Center, Pierce College, the Santa Barbara Polo Club, Los Angeles Equestrian Center were all taking in evacuees on Tuesday and Wednesday. Rescues and evacuations continue to take place. See the Southern California Equine Emergency Evacuation Facebook page if you are in the area and can assist by volunteering or moving horses.
Video of Middle Ranch on Wednesday, December 6, 2017:
Middle Ranch was lucky enough to have been evacuated. Rancho Padilla about a mile North was not so lucky. They lost over 25 Andalusians and Quarter Horses. Thoughts go out to everyone in this community. Here is video I took of the aftermath of Lower Middle Ranch this morning. #fire #losangeles #creekfire #firemen
Posted by Nick Alexander Phillips on Wednesday, December 6, 2017