Wildfires Continue

The California wildfires are still going strong, with serious environmental consequences. As the L.A. Times reports, the effects on wildlife are devastating:

Federal wildlife authorities said biologists and environmental rehabilitation specialists were expected to begin inspecting the damage and developing recovery strategies in the near future. Nearly every firefighter had a heartbreaking story to tell about an encounter with dead or dying wildlife.

“We came across a rabbit with a broken back, and we put it out of its misery,” said California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Capt. Nick Shawkey. “But the majority of animals die from superheated gases that precede the fire front. Their respiratory systems get knocked out. Essentially, they suffocate.”

wildfires, wildlife