Two bears injured in wildfires burning in Northern California and a mountain lion burned in the Bobcat Fire are being treated by California Department of Fish and Wildlife specialists, officials said Monday.
The bears were injured in the North Complex Fire, burning in Plumas and Butte counties, and the Zogg Fire in Shasta County, respectively, while the mountain lion was rescued from the destructive Bobcat Fire in the Angeles National Forest.
All three suffered burns to their feet and specialists applied sterilized fish skin bandages to their paws.
Photos shared by the agency on Facebook show the sedated animals being treated for their burns, their flesh exposed before specialists applied the bandages.
Officials hope to get them treated and released back into the wild.
As a response to the ever-extending fire season, and that “more patients could be brought in for burn care,” the department partnered up with the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine to create the Wildfire Disaster Network.
The network aims to provide a framework for wildlife search and rescue and a long-term rehabilitation care system for animals injured in wildfires, officials said.