Communities in Southern California are still reeling from the massive wildfires that destroyed more than 10,000 homes in the Los Angeles area. As people rebuild their lives, wildlife officials are telling residents to be on the lookout for injured animals that also lost their homes in the fires.
As the Santa Monica-based radio station KCRW reported, Pasadena Humane has seen a considerable increase in animals, from birds to bobcats, that need rehabilitation after suffering severe burns.
What's happening?
According to KCRW, the animal shelter has taken in at least 75 wild animals left without a habitat after the Eaton Fire in Altadena. While the animals slowly trickled in immediately after the fires, Pasadena Humane has recently seen a massive spike in bobcats, hawks, and other birds coming in with burned paws and talons, often malnourished and dehydrated.
Pasadena Humane wildlife director Lauren Hamlett told KCRW that animals with burn injuries often can't hunt for food, making them particularly vulnerable after a wildfire, when food is already scarcer than usual.
So far, the shelter has treated a peacock for burn injuries to its feathers and feet, a red-tailed hawk with burned talons and singed feathers, and many bobcats, which are common in the area.
"Pretty much anything coming in now is going to be fire-related because it has affected our entire ecosystem, even the areas that weren't actually burned down," Hamlett said.
In a Facebook post, Pasadena Humane explained that some of the bobcats brought in had suffered broken pelvises and other injuries from being hit by cars. Since the animals were forced into more heavily trafficked areas by the fires, it left them more susceptible to being struck by vehicles.
We've been seeing a growing number of bobcats coming through our Sandra J. Goodspeed Wildlife Center due to the Eaton...
Posted by Pasadena Humane on Sunday 2 February 2025
Another bobcat had arrived at the animal shelter with burns on all four paws and appeared emaciated, but the staff said she'd started eating and was being treated with medication.
"We are hopeful for a full recovery for this beautiful animal," the post read.
Why is this concerning?
As KCRW explained, even animals that weren't directly impacted by the fires may breathe in ash containing harmful pollutants such as asbestos, lead, and heavy metals. The humane society had treated a skunk for an eye infection, likely caused by inhaling toxic chemicals or smoke.
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Even if animals tried to flee the area, the fires were so extensive that avoiding injury would've been difficult.
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Definitely 🥰 "A lot of these animals are urban wildlife that take refuge underneath people's houses or behind composts or under sheds or things like that — in the urban environment. And now that's all just leveled," Hamlett explained to KCRW.
While the exact causes of the devastating wildfires have not been determined, experts say dry conditions and powerful winds increased the risk of a fire outbreak. Climate scientist Daniel Swain told NBC News that our warming climate provides the perfect fuel for fire weather, especially in Southern California, which is already naturally susceptible to wildfires.
According to National Geographic, our overheating planet made the L.A. fires 35% more likely, and if we don't take major steps to cool Earth, wildfires in the area could become 80% more likely by 2100.
This would lead to massive climate migrations as well as the destruction of more homes, cause many animals to lose habitat, and disrupt entire ecosystems.
What's being done to help?
Pasadena Humane urges the public to call the Eaton Fire animal rescue hotline to report found or lost pets, livestock, and wildlife in addition to animals left behind in evacuated properties. But if you encounter wildlife that isn't injured, wildlife officials say to not leave out food or water so the animals can migrate to a new habitat quickly.
To reduce the likelihood of these massive wildfires occurring in the future and help communities and animals, we can switch to all-electric appliances and vehicles that don't produce planet-warming gases, donate money to climate action causes, and learn more about important climate issues. Even making one small change, multiplied by thousands of people, could lead to a healthier planet where all wildlife can thrive.
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