Welfare of Animals in Wildfires and Climate-Driven Disasters

Wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, causing acute mass welfare emergencies for wildlife, livestock, and companion animals globally.

Key Facts

Australia 2019-2020 fires killed or displaced an estimated 3 billion animals
California wildfires have killed thousands of livestock and displaced hundreds of thousands of wildlife annually
Animals that survive fire initially may die later from injuries, starvation, or habitat loss
Wildlife rehabilitation capacity is overwhelmed during major fire events
Prescribed burns managed for ecological benefit can reduce catastrophic fire intensity and associated welfare harm

Welfare Considerations

Wildfire welfare emergencies create challenges of scale and speed. The 2019-2020 Australian fires showed that the welfare response infrastructure — wildlife rehabilitators, volunteer networks, veterinary surge capacity — was simply not large enough to address billions of affected animals. Animals that survive acute fire events often die in subsequent weeks from burns, starvation in denuded landscapes, and secondary infection. Pre-fire prescribed burn management that reduces catastrophic fire risk is one of the most effective large-scale wildlife welfare interventions.

What You Can Do

Support wildlife disaster response organizations before major fire events to build surge capacity
Advocate for prescribed burn programs that reduce catastrophic wildfire risk and welfare harm
Donate specifically to wildlife rehabilitation organizations during and after major fire events
Support climate action as the foundational intervention for reducing wildfire frequency and severity