Terrifying fire sweeps into the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. All residents and personnel safe after heroic battle to fight flames. Please give today as we rebuild.

Shortly before 11am on Friday 16th, ADI Head of Security, Trevor, identified smoke at a neighboring property, investigated and alerted all staff. The fire had been set as a ‘controlled’ burn and was under control. Within 40 minutes they had lost control and at midday a wall of flame surged through the northern perimeter of the sanctuary. ADIWS staff battled the flames on the hillside and got our residents into their safe zones. We must commend the bravery of our team who waded in, beating the fire back and drove the fire fighter tanks into the flames. Our thanks also to the other neighbors who arrived with their fire fighters to assist. It took over 2 hours to control the main blaze and many hours to stop smouldering damage. The fire spread to neighboring farms, scorching over 2,000 acres.

The ADIWS team finally stopped the fire in its tracks within yards of Sasha tiger and Tarzan and Tanya’s habitats. Our fire protocols worked and saved lives.

Our fire protocol requires that all the lions and tigers are immediately brought into their feeding camps and night houses, which are soaked with water. Every habitat has a hose, water supply and fire extinguisher, our team were also armed with beaters and blowers, high-pressure fire fighters on six vehicles (staff used their own vehicles) which drove into the flames and our system of firebreaks helped slow the blaze, allowing the team to steadily get control. They fought heroically to protect our animals and sanctuary.

Up to 50 acres of the ADIWS have been left scorched, two vehicles, radios, hoses, solar panels and energisers for fences, water supply, security cameras and our perimeter fence have all been badly damaged. But every resident is safe. PLEASE GIVE URGENTLY FOR REPAIRS to equipment and vehicles, and to expand our water system around the habitats.