Wildfires are also an animal health emergency

In 2024, wildfires burned approximately 2.6 million hectares of the Pantanal, one of the world’s largest tropical wetlands and one of its richest biodiversity hotspots, destroying habitat for countless wild animals while threatening livestock production and rural livelihoods. The Pantanal is only one example of a growing global challenge. In recent years, severe wildfires have affected Southern Europe, the Amazon Basin, Oceania, parts of North America and many tropical regions, demonstrating that no region is immune.

In 2025, an estimated 335 million hectares burned worldwide, illustrating that increasingly severe wildfire seasons are affecting ecosystems, livestock, wildlife and communities across every inhabited continent.

As highlighted in the State of the World’s Animal Health 2026 report, the world is facing increasingly complex animal health risks driven by climate change, shifting ecosystems and growing pressure on Veterinary Services. In 2026, El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is further exacerbating drought and extreme weather conditions around the world, increasing the risk and severity of wildfires. Building resilient Veterinary Services is therefore not only an investment in animal health, but also an investment in preparedness for the climate- and environment-related emergencies that are becoming more frequent and more complex. 

While the devastating impacts of wildfires on people and the environment are widely recognised, their consequences for animals can often receive less attention. Wildfires can cause widespread animal suffering and mortality, disrupt livestock production, destroy habitats and biodiversity, and undermine the livelihoods of rural communities. They can also reshape the way wildlife, farm animals and people interact long after the flames have been extinguished. Displaced wildlife may move into farming areas as well as human settlements, livestock are often relocated across regions, and damaged ecosystems can alter disease dynamics and disease transmission mechanisms. These cascading effects demonstrate why wildfire preparedness requires coordinated action across animal health, public health, environmental and emergency management sectors. 

Veterinary Services are uniquely positioned to contribute throughout the disaster management cycle. Before wildfires occur, they support prevention (for instance, through promotion of grazing and land use planning), preparedness and emergency planning. During emergencies, they contribute to animal evacuation, emergency veterinary treatment, animal welfare assessments and coordination with emergency responders. In the recovery phase, Veterinary Services help restore essential animal health services, strengthen disease surveillance, monitor the health of livestock and wildlife, and support the recovery of rural livelihoods and affected ecosystems. 

Protecting animal health and welfare during wildfires also strengthens food security, safeguards biodiversity, supports livelihoods and reinforces community resilience. Integrating Veterinary Services into wildfire preparedness is therefore not only about protecting animals, it is about strengthening the resilience of interconnected human, animal and environmental systems. 

Despite their critical contribution, Veterinary Services remain insufficiently integrated into national disaster and emergency management systems in many countries. Strengthening their inclusion before, during and after emergencies will help ensure that animal health and welfare are systematically considered as part of disaster risk reduction and response. 

Across diverse regions, WOAH Members are already demonstrating the value of integrating veterinary expertise into emergency management. In Australia, veterinarians are integrated into emergency animal management through preparedness, response and recovery planning, working alongside emergency authorities to support animal welfare, livestock protection and community resilience during bushfires and other natural disasters. In Brazil, veterinary professionals have played a central role in wildlife rescue, emergency treatment and rehabilitation during the Pantanal wildfires, demonstrating the contribution of veterinary expertise to disaster response in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions. 

WOAH’s existing international framework provides a strong foundation for this work through its Guidelines on Disaster Management and Risk Reduction in relation to Animal Health and Welfare and Veterinary Public Health, relevant international standards on animal health and welfare, and its commitment to advancing the One Health approach. WOAH also supports Members through training and capacity-building on emergency management using an all-hazards approach, helping strengthen preparedness for a wide range of emergencies, including climate-related disasters. 

WOAH therefore encourages its Members to: 

• integrate animal health and welfare, including wildlife, into national wildfire preparedness, response and recovery plans;  

• strengthen collaboration between Veterinary Services, emergency management authorities, environmental agencies, wildlife authorities and other relevant partners;  

• invest in resilient Veterinary Services and animal health systems capable of responding effectively to climate- and disaster-related emergencies;  

• adopt a whole-of-society approach that promotes prevention, preparedness and resilient land management, to reduce the impacts of future wildfire emergencies; and  

• promote preparedness measures that protect domestic animals, livestock and wildlife while supporting resilient communities.  

As wildfire risks continue to grow, protecting animals cannot remain an afterthought. Integrating Veterinary Services into national disaster management systems helps ensure that emergency responses protect not only people, but also the animals, livelihoods and ecosystems that underpin resilient societies. Through its international standards, technical expertise and global network of Members, WOAH remains committed to supporting countries in building resilient Veterinary Services that are equipped to respond to the challenges of a changing world.