The Alamo Fire hasnt just displacedpeople and pets from their homes, but livestock as well.
Evacuation orders in the Tepusquet Canyon area resulted in stressed livestock and owners.
Fifteen hogs, some cattle, and someturkeys that were to beshowcased at the upcoming Santa Barbara County Fair were taken to the Santa Maria Fairpark ahead of schedule for safe keeping.
We brought in six pigs earlyon Saturday morning. The fairgrounds allowed us to do this which helped us a lot since the pigs had to be evacuated from Tepusquet Canyon and then got evacuated a second time from Santa Maria Mesa, said Trudy Shank, Swine Leader for Cinco Campanas 4-H.
Although all the animals made it out of the evacuation zonesafely, the sudden change of location and temperature took a toll on a few of them.
Soon to be 4-H President Emma Cosma planned to auction off her hog, Luna, at the upcoming fairbut the outcome changed due to the fire. Luna, along with two other pigs were evacuated from Cosma's property.
"All three of them had to be evacuated and we took them to our friends at the end of the mesa by the vineyards, and then not24 hours laterand they got evacuated again with their pigs and my pig ended up not making weight," she said.
Its really hard on the pig when you take and you move them multiple times. They lose weight really easy,Shank said.
Another 4-H member, Collin Callaway, faced the challenge of having to move his cattle in a three-hour road trip in which his cow, Lily, faced several temperature changes.
If we keep on going they get a breeze from the trailer so they stay cool, and if we need, we have ice in the ice chest and if we need we can pour ice water on them, he explained.
The 4-H members have been raising their animals for months, but the real challenge came when evacuations were ordered. Thanks to the Santa Maria Fairpark, all of the animals have a new safe place to stay.
With thousands of people making their way to the fair this week and several fires still burning in the area, it's important to know if the air quality is safe for your health. To check the hour-by-hour conditions of the air quality in Santa Barbara County, click here.
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Some county fair animals affected by Alamo Fire - KSBY San Luis Obispo News
