One of the biggest stories in the news has been the wildfires in California. Thousands of acres of trees have been burned down and numerous homes burned to ashes. The biggest concern has been the people and property which has been in the path of these fires, but there are other aspects of wildfires that most people do not consider.
The wildfires affect wildlife, too, and this can bring problems for homeowners beyond the fire damage. In particular, there are rodents and wildlife in the forests which will find themselves homeless and looking for shelter and food. Wildlife affected by wildfire will look for the nearest structures to find it and that could mean the surviving homes left behind.
If you have noticed an increased number of wildlife and rodents in and around your home and on your property, contact your local Western Exterminator specialist to get it taken care of.
Rodents can escape the flames
Animals and fire have a long relationship. Although many wildfires are started by humans, there have been fires started by lightning and natural means for centuries. Animals have instinctive reactions to it, including rodents. If you have seen movies where flocks of all species of animal come charging out of the woods, you might be surprised to see this does not happen in real life.
Birds will, of course, fly away and find other places which are not on fire. Larger animals like deer or bears will also likely find their way out of the forest and into other areas where they can find safety, but rodents and smaller wildlife like rats, raccoons, squirrels, gophers, moles, etc., will also use their natural instincts to find safety. They burrow.
The fire may only be on the surface
A lot depends on how hot the fire actually gets. If the fire is very intense, the damage can get deep below ground and this could reduce the hiding places for rodents and wildlife. However, most of the time, wildfires and forest fires burn the surface but do not get too deep beneath the soil. This provides a hiding spot for rodents to survive the blaze. They can even find hiding places in moist areas or moist fallen logs to ride out the flames.
This means when the fires are put out and the ashes are all that’s left, the rodents will re-emerge. The critters can then end up in homes that have not been damaged by the fire.
Shelter from predators and searching for food
Forest fires and wildfires can be a ringing dinner bell for predators. Coyotes and birds, once they return to the place where fires have been, know rodents and other potential prey will come out of their hiding places and find lots of food. Rodents will be searching for shelter from predators.
Rodents are also going to need food and since many of the trees they use for their nests and homes will be gone, they will look for homes, walls, and areas to hide and accomplish these tasks. Rats, squirrels, other rodents, and wildlife will seek out the remaining buildings to look for food. Common areas they will infest include:
- attics
- walls
- basements
- crawl spaces
- roofs
Western Exterminator – your local rodent control experts
Whether rodents appear before wildfires or afterward, Western Exterminator rodent control experts can find them and provide solutions to stop them. Rodents bring a bunch of potential health risks and problems with them, and they need to be removed from homes and businesses to reduce the risk of spreading disease and other issues. Western Exterminator rodent experts will find their hiding places and find the ways they are getting inside.
For solutions that will get rid of rodents in your home or from your property and other solutions that will prevent rodents from returning, contact your local Western Exterminator office today. One of our pest specialists will conduct a property inspection and figure out a rodent control solution that will work for you.
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