Horse Barn Fire Prevention
 

With horse ownership comes many challenges, which is one of the reasons we love it so much. Every minute of every day of every month and year we meet every challenge head on. We overcome them and move onto the next. Each season presents its own challenges and winter is the most challenging season for most of us. One of the challenges of winter is keeping our barns safe from fire. Most barn fires occur in the winter. During the winter, hay and bedding storage is at its height, electric usage is higher and equipment repair is usually done. The majority of the components that make up a horse barn are highly flammable. Wood is prevalent everywhere and horses are

always standing in an abundance of dried bedding, eating dried forage. Prevention is certainly worth a pound of cure!

Protecting a horse barn from fire is very challenging due to the nature of the barn environment and the housing practises required of the horses in them. It has been estimated that the root cause of most un-intentional horse barn fires is from smoking and faulty electrical systems.  Fires grow quickly and give no warning. In most cases, if you see flames, you are already too late. The best way to protect your barn and the horses within is to carefully examine your building design, your management and safety practices and to make corrections and alterations where needed.

There are many items in a barn that are a fire fuel source. Wood, plant material, plastic, paper, fabric and combustible fuel are present in every barn. After ignition smouldering begins and can vary in time from minutes to hours. Fires caught during this stage will have the greatest chance of being controlled and will create the least damage, however, they are still quite dangerous. A smouldering fire is difficult to detect and very hard to completely extinguish, especially when dealing with smouldering wood shavings or hay. Shavings and hay being the fuel itself will help to insulate the fire and prevent water penetration.
 

By the end of the smouldering stage enough heat has been generated to produce flames. It will only take a few short minutes after flame eruption for ceiling temperatures to exceed 1800 degrees Fahrenheit. As ceiling temperatures continue to rise, the building will become a boiler and the “flash point” will soon be reached. Once the fire reaches this flash point, in as little as 3 to 5 minutes, the hot air will simultaneously ignite ALL combustibles within the space. At flash point everything within the building most likely has been lost. Heat and smoke are a fire’s killing attributes. When super heated smoke is inhaled, the respiratory tract is seared. Damage from smoke can occur even before flames are seen.

Once all fuel sources have been used by the fire, it will “burn out”. However, unfortunately, this may not be the end of a fire. Barns and agricultural buildings contain many fuel sources that are impervious to water such as hay, fertilizers and petroleum fuels. It is common for some of these to remain unburned during the initial fire but continue to smoulder. These smouldering pockets often reignite another fire.

A horse in a stall must be removed within 30 seconds once fire enters that stall. Straw reaches a burning temperature of 300 degrees Fahrenheit in 1 to 5 minutes. Straw develops as much heat at the same rate as gasoline. All that is required to start a fire is a spark or a match. A straw fire will burn a 10 ft x 10 ft stall in less than 3 minutes. When a fire starts in a stall and spreads just 4 ft in diameter, a horse is already injured. By 6 ft, the lungs are seared. At 8 ft the horse will start to suffocate. By 10 ft, the horse is dead. A speedy rescue is crucial, but more crucial is preventing the fire in the first place.
 

Hay Fires
A hay fire is unique to the horse and agricultural community. Baled hay can be its own fuel and ignition source. Most hay fires will occur within the first 6 weeks of baling due to excessive moisture in the bales. At baling, hay moisture should be in a range of 15 to 18 percent. After grass forages are harvested, plant respiration continues and generates a small amount of heat. If the forage is harvested properly this respiration decreases and eventually stops during the drying and curing process. This heat is normal and under the appropriate drying process is not a problem, however, if moisture levels are too high, this heat will provide an environment in which the already present mesophilic micro-organisms will grow and multiply and as they grow, heat is produced as a by-product of their life cycle. The interior temperature of the bale will eventually reach 130 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit which will cause most of these organisms to die and the temperatures will decline. This cycle may repeat itself several times, but the maximum temperature will be lower each time. These bales will be very poor quality hay, but will not be a threat. What causes a bale to become a threat is when the interior temperature of bale does not cool after the first heating cycle. If conditions are right, the heat created by the mesophilic micro-organisms will provide an environment for heat loving organisms to take over. The heat created by the life-cycle of these new organisms will reach 170 degrees Fahrenheit before these organisms can no longer survive. This extremely high temperature can cause a bale to ignite in the presence of oxygen.  The growth of these organisms within the bale creates a microscopic cavernous environment, much like a sponge. This damaged material within the bale will mix with oxygen and in its already super heated state, self ignite quite quickly. A burning bale of hay can be very difficult to find, much less extinguish. The tightly laced grasses prevent water from penetrating to the core. Only direct, forceful blasts of water can reach deep enough to extinguish the fire.

Hay fires are preventable. Proper drying and curing is essential and temperature monitoring can be done to ensure that bales never reach dangerous temperatures. Newly baled hay should be checked twice daily. This can be done with a store bought temperature probe available at any farm supply store. If a temperature of 150 degrees Fahrenheit is found, move the bale to a safe location and monitor that bale frequently as the temperature will most likely rise higher. Call the fire department and tell them you have hot hay bales that may ignite. At 175 to 190 degrees, a fire is imminent and if the temperature reaches 200 degrees, a fire has erupted. Proper hay storage plays an important role in reducing the risk of having a hay fire. Storing hay and bedding

in a separate building will not only remove the risk of fire in your horse barn, but will reduce the dust levels as well. Also, by stacking bales on their side with the stems of the hay running up and down will provide for convection ventilation of warm moist air up and out of the bale. The moister and greener the hay, the looser it should be packed so that cooling and curing can occur without the danger of mildew formation and combustion.

Lightning Fires
Lightning is a stream of pure energy, ½ to ¾ inch thick which is surrounded by 4 inches of super heated air hot enough to boil and instantaneously evaporate the sap from a tree at the moment of impact. It looks for the path of least resistance between cloud and ground. Therefore, every barn should have a lightning rod which should only be installed by a professional, certified installer. They are inexpensive to install and should be inspected regularly to ensure all connections are intact.

Electrical Fires
When old barns are converted to horse barns, old wiring can become pinched and damaged in the process. Damaged wiring is extremely hazardous, especially in a dusty environment. Have an electrician inspect the barn for any wiring problems and make sure that the wiring is adequate for the needs of the barn. Ideally the barn should be rewired to ensure all wiring is safe. Install a main shutoff for the barn. This will enable you to shut off ALL electricity in the event of a fire and also shut everything off when leaving the barn. Inspect and clean all electrical panels, wiring and fixtures frequently. In the event of an electrical fire, water should never be used in an attempt to extinguish the flames. Make sure your barn is equipped every 50 ft with fire extinguishers that will work on electrical fires. Fire extinguishers have fire class ratings listed on them. Always have extinguishers classed A-B-C. These are the most versatile and will extinguish the broadest range of fire.

Planning
Planning what to do in case of fire is an essential step in reducing the harm a fire will cause.

Barn owner

• Train your staff, family, boarders and horses in what to do in case of fire.
  
• Create a routine and practice it regularly.
  
• Make a map of the property as well as a layout of the barn and post this outside to aid firefighters.
  
• Post the farms proper address with emergency numbers in a laminated cover next to the telephone…and make sure your barn has a telephone!
  
• Have Flashlights with fresh batteries handy at each entrance.
  
• Ask your local fire department out for a tour of your facility. This will help them preplan and they will also make suggestions on how your facility can improve its protection.
  
• Also post “Difficult Horse” signs on the doors of horses who will need special caution to remove.
  
• Keep the barn clean and free of cobwebs, chaff, and dust. These are combustible and are excellent fuel sources.
  
• Post “No Smoking” signs and ban all smoking from the immediate premises.
  
• Be mindful of all not so obvious combustibles, such as heaters and machinery exhaust systems. The hot exhaust and catalytic converters of trucks driven into the hay/bedding storage areas have been know to start fires.
  
• Know where your water sources are. Water sources can include water hydrants, ponds, swimming pools, cisterns, and manure lagoons. And be sure to have a hose that is long enough to reach all areas of your facility.

Family, staff and boarders

• Familiarize yourself with the facilities emergency procedures. If you are uncertain ask the barn owner or staff.
  
• Know what your abilities and limits are! If you are unfamiliar with the area or routine or are not physically or mentally capable of assisting you will be more of a danger to yourself and others.
  
• If you have been trained, you should know what YOU can do to help.

Horses

• Horses need to be trained to be lead blindfolded. Many horses feel safest in their stall. Even during a fire a horse will want to stay in his stall, or run back to their stall if freed.
  
• Keep a halter, lead shank and towel by every stall door. Walk the blindfolded horse outside and secure him either by tying him up or putting him in a fenced paddock as far from the fire as time permits.
  
• Horses also need to be trained to deal with loud noises, flashing lights and bright lights. When firefighters appear the equipment will be noisy and the firefighters themselves will be very scary looking.
  
• Have a veterinarian examine every horse as quickly as possible. Smoke inhalation may have damaged lungs and the stress can cause bouts of colic.

What to do if you have a fire

Remain Calm

• This is the most important thing to do. Panicking will not allow you to think clearly and that will only endanger lives.

Survey the scene

• This step is almost always overlooked. The Number One rule is;
  IF THE AREA IS NOT SAFE-GET OUT, IMMEDIATELY!!! Look around and see what the fire is near. A smouldering pile of hay is not as deadly as a pile of hay smouldering next to fertilizer. Take a quick inventory of available resources. Are there other people present? Can they help? If not, ask them to leave immediately. If they can, utilize their skills in the most efficient way possible. Horses are the most difficult species to evacuate from a burning barn. Always send an experienced person to do the task.
  
• A smouldering haystack or mow is especially dangerous. If you see or smell smoke, do not attempt to move it or walk on it. You may expose the smouldering to oxygen and it will flash quickly. A smouldering cavity is prone to collapse. These cavities may collapse under weight and trap a person who was attempting to stand or walk on the bale.

Call 911 or the Fire Department

• No matter what the size of the fire or potential fire, call the fire department. Even if the fire was contained without professional assistance, call the fire department and have the area inspected to ensure the fire is completely extinguished.
  
• Be sure the person placing the call is able to give clear, concise information and directions. The dispatcher needs to know precisely where you are, the nature of the fire (hay storage shed fire, barn fire, etc.), at what state the fire is in (still smouldering, flames seen, structure totally engulfed), and whether there are people or animals trapped inside.

Evacuation

• If you have time, get the horses out and into a safe pasture as far from the fire and commotion as possible. Loose horses can be hit by emergency vehicles, injure firefighters, or run back inside the burning barn.

Other Fire Protection, Detection and Suppression Systems
If you are planning to build a facility, plan to account for the accessibility of large rescue vehicles. A 12-ft wide lane should be sufficient and any bridges should be able to support 40,000 pounds. Keep buildings 50 to 100 feet away from the stable. This will reduce the spread of fire and allow access for emergency equipment. The ground around all buildings should be sturdy enough to support the weight of heavy equipment during wet conditions. A fire hose will deliver 250 gallons of water per minute and the surrounding ground will quickly become saturated. A fire department will not risk endangering their lives or equipment at a fire scene.

Building Materials
There are three rating systems for building materials; flame spread, smoke development, and fire rating. Each rating is a comparison of how well the material stands up to fire compared to a standard. The materials used as a standard are concrete and raw wood, usually red oak.  Discuss this with your builder.

Plan to have several water hydrants with adequate water volume and pressure located in and around the property. This will help with fire suppression until the fire department arrives. Hydrants must be frost-free. Do not use heat tapes as these can be a fire hazard. Develop a pond into the plans to supply additional water.

Try to design stalls with two exits. Have an adequate number of exits built into your facility so that fire will not block the only exit and have all exits free and accessible and make sure they all open to an enclosed area. All stall doors should open outward and latches and fastenings should work quickly and easily.

Consider “compartmentalizing” your facility with firewalls and plan for proper ventilation. Discuss this with your builder. Such an approach may help to contain the spread of a fire.

Most of the early detection and fire suppression systems available were designed for residential use. The ones that can withstand a barn environment are quite costly to install. Sprinkler systems have a proven record of containing fires and saving lives, but are also costly and very few facilities have the water volume and pressure needed.

Horse barn fires are tragic and devastating, but they are largely preventable. Through education, prevention and common sense we can keep our barns, our horses and ourselves safe.

In Loving Memory of Equine Friends
In the memory of the lives lost at Epona Farms. Please click here to read more and to see how you might be able to help. http://www.dressagedaily.com/2005/dd_200510/dd_20051017.html

Links to essential reading on Horse Barn Safety 

http://www.equineguelph.ca/news/G100.pdf

http://www.cdc.gov/nasd/docs/d000801-d000900/d000843/d000843.html

http://www.ifsa.org/Education/Fire_Safety_Resource_Guide/Farm_Fire_Safety.htm