Responding to the Humboldt Fire

On Wednesday, June 11, a wildfire ignited in Butte County, California. Later to be known as the Humboldt Fire, it soon began threatening the city of Paradise, prompting thousands of people to evacuate. The next day, the North Valley Animal Disaster Group (NVADG) asked UAN to send volunteers with its Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS) to help shelter approximately 200 dogs and cats rescued from behind the fire lines or evacuated by their families.

EARS volunteers quickly deployed from across Northern California to care for these beloved pets. Despite 100-degree temperatures and smoke from the nearby fire making breathing difficult, our EARS volunteers worked hard to care for these displaced animals until they could be reunited with their families.

On Sunday, June 15, with the fire 45 percent contained and most of the animals reclaimed, our EARS volunteers closed the shelter and returned home, tired, hot and dirty — but glad they were able to help the animals and families displaced by the crisis.

See more photos from our Humboldt Fire response below.

EARS volunteer extraordinaire Jamie Peters took charge of the “cat house.”

Awwwwww….

Keeping the cat house cool in 100-degree+ heat was a challenge.

How many kitties can you find in this photo?

A view of the smoke from the emergency animal shelter

EARS volunteers came prepared to “rough it.” At night, they pitched tents near the shelter and got a few precious hours of rest.

This is what makes all the hard work worthwhile. EARS volunteer Tara Goddard reuniting a dog with his family.