Barn fires in intensive poultry facilities kill millions of birds annually in agonizing conditions, representing a catastrophic but preventable welfare event.
Barn fires in intensive poultry facilities cause catastrophic welfare events: tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of birds die by burning or smoke inhalation over minutes to hours in a single incident. The extreme density of intensive confinement prevents escape even when exits exist. Building codes that require sprinkler systems, fire detection, and emergency exits for poultry barns exist in some jurisdictions but are not universally required. The welfare and economic cost of barn fires could be substantially reduced by applying the same fire safety standards to animal housing that apply to human occupancy buildings.