The Hepburn Wildlife Shelter in central Victoria, Australia is beginning construction this week on a large concrete bunker that could be used to shelter their animals if the facility is threatened by a bushfire. The bunker, four meters wide by nine meters long, will be built into a slope and will include separate areas for wombats, birds, kangaroos, possums, koalas, alpacas, and emus.
The Hepburn Wildlife Shelter is surrounded by the Hepburn Regional Park and the operators are aware that they would not be able to evacuate the 60 to 100 animals normally housed at the facility in the event of a threatening bushfire.
The Shelter is raising funds for the $10,000 bunker by selling used items in a mobile “junk stall” and by selling Christmas cards.
This is the first time Wildfire Today has heard of a wildfire shelter specifically built for animals.
