Horses displaced by wildfires take refuge in Fort McMurray backyard

After nearby wildfires led toa tense night in Fort McMurray, some residents woke up Monday morningto new neigh-bours.

StacyClough rescued three horses from a nearby stable Sunday night, and is currently keeping them in the backyard of her home in the Eagle Ridge neighbourhood.

• Wildfire slows progression towards Fort McMurray neighbourhoods

Four-legged friends Shine, Rudy and Socks are fitting in quite well, she said.

"They've honestly been really great," Clough said. "They're just enjoying the grass.I put a bunch of hay out for them and brought their big water trough when we evacuated the barn. They've just been kind of hanging out and moseying around.

"They're just kind of enjoying city life and taking in the sights."

Rescue 'was pretty much sheer panic'

Cloughand her friendusuallykeeptheir horses atClearwater Horse Club, barely two kilometresaway from a wildfirethat forced some residents to evacuate on Sunday evening.

As the flames drew nearer and smoke hung heavier in the air,she knew she had to act fast to get the horses out of danger.

"It was pretty much sheer panic," she said. "I honestly thought I was going to have a heart attack. They're like your kids.

"We just decided it would be best to sleep on the deck, wait itout and bring them to the backyard, so that's what we did."

Clough and other owners also drove out to the stables and managed to rescue and find new temporaryhomes for all 60 horses.

She said everyone pitched in to make surethe horses, as well as tack and necessary care items, got out ofthe fire's path.

Figuring out what do with the horses if the stables burn hasn't yet been determined.

For now, the three horses in Clough's yard will stick around for a day or two, and have become the talk of the neighbourhood.

"I've had no negative complaints or comments," she said. "Everybody's been super supportive.

"Everybody's kind of been like,'This is the coolest thing, to wake up to and have my morning coffee to, I had to take a double take.' "