More livestock are lost to fires (most caused by lightning) than to any other disaster. The two most common types are barn fires and brush fires or wildfires, with one sometimes being fed by the other.

On October 8, 1871, a barn fire got out of control and burned three square miles of Chicago, killing over 250 people.

At the same time Chicago was burning, a brush fire was raging 250 miles to the north. The fire (now believed to have been caused by a meteor impact), quickly erupted into an inferno and within an hour Peshtigo, Wisconsin was consumed and in Wisconsin and Michigan, sixteen other towns and more than 1.2 million acres were destroyed. Thousands of head of livestock of all types perished, and over 1200 human lives were lost. The extent of destruction and loss of life make the Great Peshtigo Fire the worst disaster in U.S. history.

Preparatory/preventive measures

If possible, make firebreaks around your home, barn and if possible, your pastures and pens where livestock is kept. Store wood, fuel, paints, etc., well clear of the house. Make good housekeeping part of your daily routine. Remove rubbish, leaf litter and weeds and brush from around buildings. Remove cobwebs and loose dust. Keep a ladder handy for roof access (inside and outside) and hoses to reach all parts of your barn and outbuildings. Check all water delivery systems at least once a week to make sure they work. If water is not connected, obtain a high pressure pump. Install fire doors and shutters and inspect them regularly.

Install lightning protection systems. Insure that all wiring is adequate and that power needs for ventilation, automatic feeding systems, etc. are not subject to overloading. Inspect wiring, switches, motors and appliances for exposed wires. Install a smoke/fire alarm system and test it regularly. When using heat lamps, make sure they are not deployed near any flammable material. Always install heat lamps where an animal cannot bump into the lamp and break the bulb and expose a bare wire. Make sure power cords are placed where goats cannot chew on them. Use stall fans, radios and space heaters only when someone is in the barn.

Install fire extinguishers at key locations, especially at all entrances to buildings, and know how to use them. There are basically three types and each has its limits. They are:

Type A: for use on ordinary combustibles – wood, cloth, paper, rubber, hay, plastics and other common materials.

Type B: for use on flammable liquids such as gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, oil and grease.

Type C: for use on energized (“hot” or “live”) electrical items.

Remove any insulation from your barn that might release toxic fumes when afire. Enforce a strict “No Smoking” rule around any type of combustible materials, whether indoors or out. Keep above-ground fuel tanks at least forty feet from buildings. Keep other flammable liquids properly stored in labeled safety containers.

Make sure all hay is adequately dry before you store it. Moist hay will “go through a heat”, and may spontaneously combust. If possible, store hay away from the barn in a dry, covered area.

Plan evacuation routes for all areas of your farm or ranch, and keep aisles, doors and gates free of equipment and debris. Practice evacuating your animals. Use flashlights and flashing lights so they will be used to them, and not get spooked by them in an emergency. Post emergency phone numbers at all telephones and at the entrances to buildings. Make sure your address is clearly visible at the road so emergency personnel can find you easily.

Emergency actions

During a fire, remember the first priority is to evacuate people and livestock to safety. Remember, also, that animals will panic and will be difficult to evacuate at best. Sometimes, throwing a feed sack or gunny sack over an animal’s head will calm it down enough that you can lead it to safety. Start with the most accessible animals. Sometimes an animal will refuse to leave the building and it is not uncommon for an evacuated animal to back into a burning building. Move the animals quickly to fenced area so they will not re-enter a burning building. If possible, hose them down with water to cool them. Do not enter any building if it is engulfed in flames.

If you have a slowly smoldering fire in a haymow or loft, DO NOT try to throw the burning hay out, since exposure to oxygen will fuel a blaze. Evacuate the area and call the fire department.

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