Wildfires could lead to encounters with snakes

SALT LAKE CITY — With all the wildfires burning in Utah, a reptile expert with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources said there’s a chance snakes could be driven into people’s yards.

Native Herpetology Coordinator Alyssa Hoekstra said snakes aren’t going to go far in their search for shelter.

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“So whenever there is wildfires or any form of fire in the landscape, they will seek shelter away from it. That’s usually going underground,” Hoekstra said. “In a lot of cases, that’s not always successful [they] really can’t out crawl the fire.”

Which homes, businesses, should be on guard for snakes?

Hoekstra said that if the fire is “up against where there might be housing communities and other businesses . …. if that is within the … natural range of the snake in their movement throughout an active season,” snakes may try to move into your home or onto your property.

She says that means people need to remember that possibility.

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“Because they could end up in their yard, hiding under a rock, kind of hiding under anything like logs if they have any material in their yard where they can hide,” she said.

Snakes may also try to escape fire by going under your house.

“There could be holes underneath your house that they might try to go under to seek a shelter,” she said. 

What if you find a snake around your home?

If you find a snake especially a rattlesnake, in your yard, leave it be. And remember Utah law prohibits anybody from killing a rattle snake.

“Leave it alone. That’s the safest option because typically people will get bit when they’re trying to move them,” Hoekstra told KSL.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources recommends businesses you can contact to safely remove or relocate a rattlesnake on the Wildlife Rehabilitators portion of its web site.