The bushfires across Victoria burned over 400,000 hectares, driven by strong winds and extreme heat. Temperatures exceeded 48.9°C in some areas and a State of Disaster was declared on January 10, covering 18 local government areas and the Lake Mountain Alpine Resort.
During the fires Wildlife Victoria responded to an extraordinary surge in demand for our services, highlighting both the strength of the state’s wildlife response network and critical gaps that must be addressed to better protect animals, responders, and the community in future emergencies.
Subsequently, the Victorian Parliament has established a formal inquiry to assess the response to the fires and their impact, including on native wildlife.
Wildlife Victoria submitted recommendations to the Inquiry into the 2026 summer fires across Victoria. Our submission highlights gaps in the Wildlife Emergency Support Network (WESN), including communication challenges, underutilisation of veterinary and volunteer expertise, and public confusion about reporting injured wildlife. These issues contributed to delays in care and increased risk for animals, responders and the broader community.
The facts
- During the 2026 bushfires, significant challenges emerged within the current Wildlife Emergency Support Network (WESN) model
- This included communication breakdowns between agencies and responders, underutilisation of skilled veterinary professionals and trained volunteers, and public confusion about how and where to report injured wildlife
- These issues led to critical delays in care and increased risks for animals, responders, and the broader community
Key recommendations
Through our Inquiry submission Wildlife Victoria has called for a more coordinated, transparent, and effective wildlife emergency response system. Recommended reforms include:
- Formal recognition of Wildlife Victoria as a partner in wildlife emergency response
- Clear command and control frameworks for deployment and accountability
- Expanded use of our Emergency Response Service and veterinary teams during bushfires
- Consistent volunteer management, training, and welfare support
These reforms will ensure that Victoria’s wildlife receives timely, professional care, that volunteers can operate safely and effectively, and that the public knows exactly where to turn for help.
Key actions
January 2026 – Between 7-23 January Wildlife Victoria received an astronomical 11,242 calls for assistance for injured wildlife, including 1,135 requests for help in a single day. Wildlife vets were deployed to field assessment teams in bushfire zones, and our Travelling Veterinary Service treated burnt and fire-impacted animals in shelters and provided telehealth support for emergency responders inside the fire zones.
March 2026 – Wildlife Victoria makes a submission to the Inquiry into the 2026 summer fires across Victoria. The Inquiry received 339 submissions.
April 2026 – Wildlife Victoria’s CEO appears as an Inquiry witness on 30 April 2026 in Harcourt.
Wildlife Victoria is ready to work with the Victorian government to build a structured, accountable, and effective wildlife emergency response framework—so that every native animal affected by bushfires has the best chance of survival.
Read Wildlife Victoria’s submission to the Inquiry into the 2026 summer fires across Victoria