San Jacinto Fire Evacuees Find Livestock Refuge at Caney Creek Cowboy Church

Livestock Safekeeping Amidst Fire Evacuations

• 📌 Caney Creek Cowboy Church became a temporary sanctuary for livestock displaced by the San Jacinto fire.
• 🐎 Pastor Mark Grimes opened the church's pens, which were built in 2019 for rodeo events, to house horses, cows, donkeys, and chickens.
• ⚠️ The church had capacity for approximately 20 more horses and a number of cows, offering refuge until the danger subsided.

Pastor's Personal Experience and Decision

• 🏠 Pastor Grimes and his family were also under an evacuation order, yet he prioritized housing animals.
• 💨 He described the intense conditions during evacuation, noting the severe smoke and palpable heat from the fire.
• ✅ The decision to take in animals was described as an "easy decision" despite the personal risk.

Community Support and Gratitude

• 🙏 Amber Johnson expressed deep gratitude for the church facility, which provided a safe haven for her horses and donkey.
• 😥 She shared the emotional difficulty of evacuating her animals, especially when they were initially hesitant to load.
• 🤝 The Montgomery County Public provided essential supplies like hay, food, and water to support the animals and the operation.

Homes Safe and Fire Contained

• ✅ Fortunately, both Pastor Grimes's and Amber Johnson's homes were confirmed to be safe.
• 🧯 The San Jacinto fire is now mostly contained, allowing evacuees to begin returning home.