Osoyoos, B.C., wildfire forced stable owners to flee with 30 horses

The Current8:26Wildfires put Osoyoos, B.C., on evacuation alert

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Dave McGlynn and Sherry Zarowny rushed to get their horses to safety on Saturday night after McGlynn saw a plume of smoke on the horizon. 

"We stay in our RV on the property in the summertime, and we had to choose between home or the horses. And so we chose the obvious," Zarowny told The Current guest host Catherine Cullen.

Their property, along with about 700 others in Osoyoos, B.C., had to be evacuated because of a wildfire that crossed over from the United States. Another 2,000 properties in the area are under an evacuation alert. 

Osoyoos is 400 kilometres east of Vancouver and has a population of around 5,500.

Fire crews are currently monitoring the situation to see how the wind effects the wildfire, and if any other homes or properties will need to be evacuated.

McGlynn and Zarowny operate Sun Hill Riding Centre, where they have about 30 horses. McGlynn says their stable is just two kilometres from the border, and on Saturday he could see the fire coming closer. 

Getting the horses to safety

McGlynn says on Saturday they cancelled all their horse rides for the evening, and McGlynn could see the fire was getting closer. They received an evacuation order, and the hard work began.

"The first priority was to get the horses on the trailer and it was pitch black, and they're suspicious animals anyway. And a couple of our guys, they are a little difficult to load," said McGlynn. 

One of their horses, Reno, has moon blindness, which means it can't see well at night. They had to lead the horse onto the trailer with their voices. 

WATCH | Giant wildfire forces evacuation of more than 700 properties in Osoyoos:

Giant wildfire forces evacuation of more than 700 properties in Osoyoos, B.C.

1 year ago

Duration 4:56

The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen and the Town of Osoyoos in B.C. issued an evacuation order Saturday evening for 732 properties. It's in response to the out-of-control Eagle Bluff wildfire that crossed over the U.S.-Canada border.

Zarowny says they had help from ALERT, the Animal Lifeline Emergency Response Team, a group dedicated to helping animals in emergency situations. Eventually they were able to get all their animals on board, including two cats who Zarowny said didn't enjoy having to share a carrier.

"As we were loading the last couple, I mean, the flames were all around us and it looked like they were only a few hundred feet [away]," said McGlynn. 

"We were just blessed, really, that we got them all out with no injuries or no mishaps."

McGlynn and Zarowny are now safe in Okanagan Falls, and their horses are on a ranch away from the flames.

Mentally prepared

McGlynn said that two years ago, there were fires just across the lake from their stable, but the flames never got as close at they did on Saturday. 

"This really hit home because it was right on our trails, you know, the trails we use every day," said McGlynn.

The B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) said the wildfire didn't grow overnight and is currently about nine square kilometres in size on the Canadian side of the border.

The pair are looking forward to getting back home. Zarowny doesn't expect they will have to be away very long. 

"Hopefully because of the kind of landscape it is, it's not a fire that's going to last long. It's just grassland," said Zarowny.

"Hopefully we can get back in there and help get everybody settled and start to see what's left. You know, pick up the pieces."