Wildfires cause enormous welfare suffering for wildlife through burns, smoke inhalation, habitat loss, and post-fire starvation.
Wildfire welfare emergencies are among the most acute and large-scale in wild animal welfare. Animals that cannot flee fast enough experience burns to feet, lungs, and skin that cause extreme pain. Flying embers and radiant heat cause injuries at distances from flame fronts. Survivors face a post-fire landscape stripped of food and shelter - starvation risk peaks in the weeks after fire as animals compete for resources in unburned refuges. Emergency supplemental feeding programs and water provision can reduce post-fire wildlife mortality but require rapid mobilization. The welfare case for aggressive climate action is directly connected to wildfire prevention.