Horse Barn Fire Safety

There’s nothing more traumatizing than seeing your horse barn up in smoke and flames. Not only do you stand to lose thousands in tack and equipment, but if your horses become trapped inside the unthinkable could happen. Unfortunately, many barns are filled with flammable materials. This puts them at a greater risk of a barn fire! Most barn fires are preventable though. With the proper precautions, you can protect your barn and the animals you love so dearly. 

How to Prevent a Barn Fire

In the summer, your biggest threats are lightning and the spontaneous combustion of hay. Once a fire begins, you have only a few minutes to get your horses out. Sawdust, straw, hay, and wood easily spread the fire. Your best course of action is to prevent it altogether!

• No smoking! You should have signs posted in your barn to clearly state this for any visitors.
• Keep your barn as clean as possible. This includes sweeping up loose hay and knocking down cobwebs. 
• Pests can chew through electrical wires, which leaves them exposed and dangerous. Consider encasing wires in metal conduits.
• Be extra careful when using extension cords. They should be heavy-duty and industrial-grade. Once finished with the task, make sure to unplug it!
• Store your hay in a separate building. Hay with a high moisture content can get hot enough to ignite. If you don’t have a separate area available, then make sure to check the interior temperature of various bales frequently. A temperature probe can be purchased at farm stores. Once a bale reaches 150°F, you may have a problem. The bale will need to be monitored carefully for a rise in temperature.
• Your barn will be safer if you store your bedding like straw or sawdust in a separate building.
• Gas-powered tractors and lawnmowers should also be stored away from your horse barn.
• Flammables should be kept out, as well. Check the back of your grooming and leather-cleaning products, as some will say flammable. These should be stored in a fire-resistant box.
• Encasing your lightbulbs in a metal cage can prevent them from breaking.
• Have a professional install lightning rods. This will protect your barn and horses from the strike.
• The areas around your barn should be kept tidy and free of debris. Even a manure pile can be dangerous if too close to the barn. Most generate quite a bit of heat.
• Every barn should also be equipped with smoke detectors and a fire extinguisher. Ideally, you’ll also have ceiling sprinklers above stalls and in hay storage areas.
• You should have an exit strategy in place with evacuation routes. You should have at least two exits that always remain unblocked.
• Halters and lead ropes should be placed on every stall door.

No one wants to imagine this will happen to their barn. Disasters happen every day though. It’s important that you minimize your barn’s fire risk by taking the proper precautions. It can be helpful to have a checklist handy with areas and items that need to be routinely checked and maintained. Most fire prevention is based on common sense. Do your homework and get your barn ready!

Did you enjoy this blog post? We think you may like Fire Preparedness With Horses by Erin Gouveia or Are You Playing With Fire? Don’t Let a $20 Box Fan Turn Your Horse Into Another Statistic by Debbie Disbrow.