From goats to porcupines, these animal evacuees escaped B.C. wildfire

When a wildfire roared toward Summerland, B.C., staff from the Interior Wildlife Rehabilitation Society had to evacuate about 30 animals from the facility in an hour.

Eva Hartmann, founder of the sanctuary, said the centre was destroyed — but the animals have all been safely relocated to a wildlife centre in Kamloops, B.C., about 220 kilometres northeast.

They include bats, skunks, a porcupine, a baby beaver named Poppy, two otters, 14 water birds and three turtles, said Ryan Cope, a volunteer.

"So, it was a bit of a Noah's Ark menagerie getting them out, and they really only had an hour to get out before the fire blew through the property," said Cope, adding that it was chaotic to corral the birds to their respective kennels.