SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - Hundreds of horses evacuated by the Lilac Fire are receiving care and shelter at the Del Mar Fairgrounds Saturday.
Thousands of residents were forced from their North County properties as flames crept west through the Bonsall region toward Oceanside. Many of those residents also had horses.
One of those evacuees fearing the worst got some good news Friday.
RELATED: Information, evacuations in North San Diego County fire emergency
In video sent to 10News, a volunteer captured the moment one evacuee was reunited with her horse after she was forced to leave him behind.
The volunteer, Trish, said the woman saved her two dogs but couldn't take her horse as flames approached her home. The woman feared the horse had died, until she was reunited with him Friday.
Trish said the woman had lost everything in the fire.
RELATED: Shelters opened for fire and power evacuees in San Diego County
The San Luis Ray Training Center, where more than 450 horses were housed, was also evacuated. Countless people frantically tried to save the horses, including one woman who was severely burned. Many of those horses were saved, though, 46 died in the fire, City News Service reports.
Del Mar fairgrounds asks anyone who has the need to bring their horse down to the fairgrounds to use the east entrance and call 2-1-1 before heading down. They are also asked to bring their own feed, bedding, and animal identification.
RELATED COVERAGE:
- Interactive map of Lilac Fire
- Photos: Lilac Fire burns through North County
- Massive brush fire strikes San Diego's North County
Anyone who hopes to volunteer their time is open to do so, though they should call 2-1-1 before so to get more information.
Del Mar Racing has also posted a link to a GoFundMe supporting the Thoroughbred community affected by the Lilac Fire here.
