January 7, 2025 a devastating wildfire, blown by fierce Santa Ana winds. began its destruction in Pacific Palisades. Humans, horses and homes became fire victims in its consuming path. “On day two of the Palisades fire I announced on my business page my plan to head to LA with a truck and horse trailer loaded with horse and people supplies,” reports Jennier Foss owner of Behind the Barn Consignment in Atascadero.
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How the Fire Victim Support Caravan Got Started
This was not Jenn’s first fire victim support trip. She took supplies to assist victims of the Paradise fire in 2018 and Santa Cruz fire in 2020 as an independent. “When my brother was called to go out on day one of the Palisades Fire, I knew it must be bad. We all knew the fire was going to run with the horrible winds, and nature did not let down.” So, Jenn reached out to a few horse-related LA Facebook pages and she quickly realized they had a need. Jenn mentioned she has always said, “God forbid something like this happens here . . .I would want people to run and help us.”
Connecting with Those Needing Help
“After about 48 hours I was finally able to get in contact with LA businesses who were getting established to collect donations,” continues Jenn. “I connected with woman who had to evacuate her horse at the LA equestrian center, and a LA social worker on social media. They helped me figure out what was most needed.”
Amazing Local Community Response
“What transpired was in short simply AMAZING!” exclaimed Jenn. “People reached out offering to drive with me. Community members from all over the county called the store, messaged me on Facebook and Instagram asking what supplies were needed.”
The Facebook post spread like “wild fire”. Jenn set her leaving date a few days out from the collection start day. In the end she received donations from as far north as Bradly and as far south as Orcutt, from Cambria in the west and the entire surrounding coastal areas.
Gathering Donations for Fire Victims
Donations began rolling in as soon as Jenn said, “Go!” She set a horse trailer in front of Behind the Barn Consignment to collect horse supplies and donations. Jenn also connected with the new owners of Santa Margarita Feed and they became a donation center. To streamline product donations, Santa Margarita Feed opened an LA fire account for customers to purchase supplies through without going into the store. Jenn left a trailer there and it started filling up! Additionally, a horse trailer was stationed at the Paso Robles Tractor supply as a collection location. Businesses, community members, 4-H groups, churches, local horse clubs and more sent out email blasts to members and everything started coming together.
Caravan Takes Off to Drop off Donated Supplies
The caravan Jenn organized consisted of six trucks and trailer units, one pick-up truck and one SUV. Once the caravan got to Calabasas it was divide and conquer. Each unit was assigned addresses to go to. Most people in the caravan did their route drops in a for a few hours and then headed home.
All said and done we dropped supplies at 12 locations. Jenn organized the drops by packing vehicles with specific things. Each unit was assigned at least two to four drop locations arranged in order – near to far. The crew started packing trailers Saturday after the fires broke out at about 2:00. One truck and trailer went down on Saturday. The rest of the caravan left on Sunday at about 8:30 am. The LA locations receiving drops were: Hansen Dam (horses), LA Equestrian Center, and East LA Animal Services. There were also drop locations specifically for children, families and medical.
Special Rescue of Fire Victims: Two Ponies
As Jenn prepared to leave with the caravan, she received a call asking if she could evacuate two ponies from Palisades burn area on Topanga canyon on the ocean side. Later that day when Karen and Jenn met with the two ponies’ owners, the evacuation had turned into a rescue. Amazingly, these two ponies had SURVIVED the Paradise fire that swept through the property.
Jenn describes the experience, “We followed the family to the barricade. Everything looks just like what is being shown on TV: road blocked, national guard police officers, fire personnel.”
“The family was pleading in tears to please let us enter,” Jenn continues. “One officer got on the phone and called the sergeant. We were trying to enter an active fire zone. The officers gave us their blessing and in short told us we were on our own and to be VERY aware of downed lines, trees and debris.”
Navigating Through the Burned-Out Neighborhood
Jenn and Karen navigated up about 11 miles up Topanga canyon and along a few other roads that were now not marked due to the fire. They ended up on the Malibu side at the top of the mountain. About six miles in is when they saw the raw charred carnage. “It’s EXACTLY what it looks like on TV,’ remarks Jenn. “Neighborhoods where probably once beautiful homes were, was now reduced to a Mars-like appearance. The only things visible were just fireplaces and concrete slabs, no lumber, no debris, it was all ASH. I think one thing that still plays in my head is the smell…. Yes, it had a wild fire smell but it was very industrious the smell of metal, rubber… you know things that shouldn’t be burning.”
Seeing the Fire Victim Ponies
When Jenn and Karen arrived at the “home” of the ponies all they could think of was, “Are they even ALIVE?!“ The house was reduced to just the cinderblock walls and what looked like a washer and dryer – and that’s it. The ponies were flighty and hard to catch at first but Karen had horse cookies! So, they were won over pretty quickly. Once the ponies were haltered both ladies gave them a quick once over. They had a cough and nose discharge. The ponies looked like they came out of a deep fryer as their hair was all singed, and both pretty much lost at least half of their mane and tail but all in all they were ok! They are now here in Templeton and after working with the local vet it looks like they are in the clear and healing extremely well.
A Special Thank You on Behalf of the Fire Victims
Jenn returned home tired, exhausted and drained. Yet she got back into working mode. A few days later a local person came in the Behind the Barn consignment tack shop.
A Thankful Person
Jenn tells the story: “I have never seen him before, but he saw what we did online and wanted to come in and see how it all went. My best friend, whom I call my brother, was working the fire line with two others from Atascadero Fire. At first I was just planning to go by myself but it grew into an amazing team of drivers. Then, I told him about the rescue ponies and all the stops we did.”
Jenn paused then related his response, “Wow. So besides drivers and help you orchestrated this all by yourself…??”
Jenn said, “Yes, but it really just fell into place!”
He then asked, “Why?”
“But not WHY LA… He just asked my why?” replied Jenn
“This took me back, I took a seat on my stool, I never I guess needed a why. In my head I thought well, my ass was going to bring a trailer of stuff somewhere.” Jenn continued, “Well, if I’m being honest. my animals, community and family have never failed me. These people lost their animals and community and family. So, I guess I felt like I had to fill that cup. I did it without second guessing myself.”
He then asked, “Well, did you ever think about not doing it?”
“No, I was going to go with or without people, I felt like I had to,” Jenn replied.
He then said, “And you brought strangers together for a common goal, across all walks of life.”
Jenn laughingly replied, “Well that wasn’t my intent, but I’m glad it worked out!”
The Sweet Response
He then responded to Jenn, “Your love is the silver lining, you saw past all the things, that at times we want to divide ourselves with… God was on your side you must have many angels following you.
Jenn responded, “I do.”
The man then asked if he could give Jenn a hug. Of course she said, “yes.”
While hugging Jenn he said, “Thank you, thank you team, thank your firefighter friend. You are a good person don’t forget that.”
He walked out of the store looking so proud he made Jenn speechless. When she was finally able to think, to process what was accomplished, Jenn realized she is proud of what she and her business spearheaded: A caravan to support LA fire victims. Jenn is proud of and thankful for her community for stepping up. She’s proud of the people who joined her in driving donated goods to the LA fire victims. But in reality, she’s still speechless.
Yes, what a wonderful expression of kindness to horses and humans.
Follow-up on the Fire Victims Needs
At this point there is no planned follow-up. However, Jenn told the owner of the ponies if they were open to it, she could put together a group to help with property clean up and/or construct buildings for the animals. The two ponies are now living in Templeton. There is a fundraiser page set up to help the rescue these ponies were rescued from.
Jenn reminds all of us: “Please keep your heart open! Everyone is quick to help at the time of tragedy but when the event ends people forget.”
Displaced fire victims might also need to be moving out of area due to the lack of rentals. Per the ponies’ owner, it might be three years before they can even rebuild. These fire victims, both human and horses are living day by day. The last time Jenn spoke with the ponies’ owner she still wasn’t even able to make contact with her home insurance yet.
Photo credit: Jennifer Foss Behind the Barn Consignment
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