B.C. wildfire survivors include pet salamander and tarantula

When Amanda Roberts and her 10-year-old son, River, fled the fast-moving Bald Range fire ahead of its destruction of Faulder, B.C., the urgency of the evacuation forced them to leave behind several beloved pets [1.1]. Among them were a tarantula named Velky Pavouk and Mongo the salamander, which had been placed in terrariums inside an abandoned vehicle.

The wildfire ultimately wiped out Roberts' home of 10 years and destroyed or damaged some 150 structures throughout Summerland and outlying areas. While a larger terrarium containing a ball python could not be saved, Mongo and Velky Pavouk managed to endure five days inside the abandoned vehicle before an RCMP officer successfully rescued them.

Roberts called the survival of the two exotic pets a miracle, noting that Mongo's survival ironically lived up to the mythical folklore of salamanders being able to weather fire. River has since been safely reunited with both the salamander and the tarantula, providing a glimmer of hope amid the displacement.

The family did manage to evacuate with a number of other animals, including their dog, their landlord's dog, a cat, and a crested gecko named Kanika. However, Roberts noted that River remains heartbroken over missing pets, including a cat named Sally-Mae, another cat named Haiku, and guinea pigs that lived in an enclosure outside the home.

Dozens of other residents affected by the disaster have taken to social media to share photos of missing animals or singed pets rescued from the burn zone. As displaced community members grapple with an uncertain interim period and the long road toward rebuilding, neighbors who stayed behind have continued leaving food out in hopes of recovering loose animals.