For the wildlife and firefighters, their glow is scorching and the sky obscure with thick blankets of smoke. The wildfires burning in the West, including my home state of Montana, has not only devastated the land but also the lives of humans and animals. What once was a blanket of green and beauty, is now blackened with ash. Though I'm miles away from the major engulfing inferno's, I am saddened by all the destruction. Families have lost homes, animals have perished and the beauty of the land lost.
Most animals actually escape the fires.
While this may be true, some do not escape or they become injured. An orphaned black bear cub was rescued from the scorched land in the Bitterroot Valley and taken to a local Veterinary Clinic in Helena, Montana. Its paws were scorched from walking on the hot ashes where his home once was. The cub is doing fine and once rehabilitated, he will be moved back to the wild. In the long term, wildlife will benefit as new growth on the forest floor returns but until then, some will struggle to survive.