Emu Flees Raging Wildfire in Southern California
Farmed for their meat and oil, the flightless birds are among the animals affected by ongoing fires in the region.
As hundreds of people flee wildfires in California, so too do many animal species—such as this emu spotted yesterday near Potrero in San Diego County. Native to Australia, emus were originally imported to the United States to be raised on bird farms for their meat and oil.
But as drought and climate change exacerbate wildfires in Southern California, emus are among countless animals that must flee the flames.
So far, the ongoing Border Fire in Potrero has spread across 7,500 acres. Two other Southern California fires—the Reservoir and the Fish fires—have burned through more than 5,000 acres.
Birds often fly away from wildfires (unless they’re flightless—sorry, emus), while larger mammals run. Smaller critters might burrow into the ground,
