Wooden fences sagged and split, their paint faded and peeling.
When her mother traveled for work, she would tell Levinson to spend her days sitting with the animals.
She would say, The horses are your babysitter, Levinson remembers.
With the help of her Jigsaw team, Cha Cha Jago Levinson rescued 54 horses from the Palisades Fire. The horses are now sheltered at the L.A. Equestrian Center.Gilles Mingasson
Will Rogers became this incredible place where I found so much security.
It was my lifeline, my salvation.
One of the best things that I noticed when we revitalized: the wildlife came back, remarks Houge.
Deer returned to the area to graze on the pastures alongside the horses.
Quail and toads began to gather near the small ponds where horses would roll around.
AT NOON THAT DAY, IT appeared that the horses would be safe behind the Polo fields.
Still, Levinson wasnt taking chances.
Out of an abundance of caution, we moved all our horses, she says.
By the time they reached the field, it was chaos.
The area had been converted into a staging area for firefighters.
Helicopters landed, refueled, and took off.
Bright red trucks ferried in and out as their lights spun with urgency.
First responders zigzagged in between the vehicles while chopper blades kicked loose sod into the air.
But they were so overwhelmed.
They had so many fires going on… then we realized [the fire] is coming.
The horses, sensing the sudden change, began to stir.
For those guiding them, staying cool-headed was imperative.
… People who didnt even know if their house was lost were still helping us with the horses.
By the time the last horse left Will Rogers, the fire swept through an hour later.
AT SUNDOWN, THE HERD HAD to move out of Brentwood as the fire headed toward Sullivan Canyon.
We brought in 200 to 300 evacuees at any one time, says Nevin.
We have volunteers who start to appear, sometimes 50 to 100 at a time.
The volunteers are [helping] clean the stalls.
Theyre helping with the feeding.
They help walk and exercise the horses.
Ive been in touch with every single one of them.
I think that brings them a lot of comfort.
Our mission was to have horses be accessible to everybody in L.A., says Levinson.
That was like part of our goal for Will Rogers.
It was very much the city that we love meets nature.
Amelia Goldman, another trainer at the farm, remembers those field trips fondly.
Her eight-year-old son, Avery, whom she taught how to ride on the grounds, agrees.
Thats all of my experience at Will Rogers is a big box of fun, he declares.
Everything about recovery is connected and thats what I see at Will Rogers.
California is resilient, like the plants, we will regrow, the beauty will return.
We dont know what will happen, but were really hopeful, she says.
For now, Levinson is focused on the work ahead.
The staff that saved our horses lives need saving, too, she says.
This place means the world to me.
