In the United States, chicken farm fires happen a lot and are very destructive. Over 680,000 chickens died in terrible barn fires across the country in 2021 alone. After looking at data from the Animal Welfare Institute about barn fires, I wanted to find out how many of these fires happened on chicken farms in particular. The results show some scary facts about the risks factory-farmed chickens face.
Overview of Barn Fire Statistics
First, let’s review the overall barn fire figures for some context. In 2021, the Animal Welfare Institute documented 114 total barn fires in 27 states. These fires killed a staggering 681,825 farmed animals of various species. Chickens accounted for 447,500 of the deaths. Other animals killed included pigs, cows, horses, goats, sheep, and turkeys.
In March, 166,000 chickens died in the worst chicken barn fire ever, which happened in Arizona. Tens of thousands of chickens also died in fires in California, Maryland, North Carolina, and Iowa. It’s sad that most chicken deaths happened in just a few fires at big factories where hundreds of thousands of birds were squished together.
Frequency of Chicken Barn Fires
Out of the 114 barn fires that happened, 33 of them were caused by chickens. To put this another way, almost 30% of all barn fires in 2021 happened at chicken farms.
To put it another way, there was nearly one chicken barn fire every week in the United States last year. Many weeks saw multiple chicken fires take place.
Causes and Contributing Factors
What causes so many fires at industrial chicken operations? There are multiple factors at play:
-
Equipment failure – Ventilation fans, heaters, and electrical systems can malfunction and spark fires.
-
Litter combustion – Built-up manure and litter materials can catch fire.
-
Lightning strikes – Metal barns attract lightning. Fires often ignite when strikes occur.
-
Improper fire safety – Some industrial operations lack proper fire prevention and suppression measures.
But the root cause may be the industrial systems themselves. Packing hundreds of thousands of birds into windowless warehouses enables fires to spread rapidly. The crowded, inhospitable conditions are a recipe for disaster.
Consequences for Animal Welfare
When fires break out at factory chicken farms, the results are horrific. Birds are trapped inside barren warehouses, unable to escape. They die from smoke inhalation, burns, or being crushed in panic and chaos.
Surviving chickens not killed directly by flames often suffer from smoke damage and burns. These injuries can cause immense, prolonged suffering.
Fires also destroy eggs and kill baby chicks. Entire genetic lines can be lost. The total animal misery caused by chicken farm fires is staggering.
Preventing Fires through Better Standards
The fact that fires happen so often shows that chicken farms need better safety standards and ways of making their products. Some solutions include:
-
Installing fire prevention systems like sprinklers and firewalls
-
Providing emergency exits for animals to escape
-
Transitioning to less crowded, free-range systems
-
Regularly clearing litter and dust accumulation
-
Proper maintenance of electrical and heating systems
-
Lightning protection measures like grounding and surge protectors
Reducing crowding and allowing chickens access to the outdoors would also greatly limit fire risks. But industrial operations are reluctant to improve conditions without legal mandates. Better regulations and oversight are needed to protect chickens from these preventable tragedies.
The Need for Reform
The fact that so many chickens experience horrific deaths in farm fires year after year shows the need for major reforms. We must critically examine industrial production and make substantive changes to safeguard animal welfare. Chickens are intelligent, feeling animals who deserve far better than the short, painful lives typical of factory farming. By switching to higher-welfare systems, we can produce food more sustainably while avoiding costly fires. With improved standards, farm fires and their tragic consequences could become a thing of the past.
Around 3,000 chickens killed in Johnston poultry farm fire
FAQ
How many farm animals died in barn fires in 2021?
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates and other important animal protection news. Washington, DC—More than 681,000 farm animals perished in potentially preventable barn fires in 2021, according to an Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) analysis of media reports released today.
How many hens died in barn fires in 2021?
Collectively, these incidents took the lives of 433,000 hens, or nearly 64 percent of all animals killed in barn fires in 2021. As large-scale producers increasingly transition to cage-free housing, AWI suspects that high levels of dust, alone or in combination with litter, may contribute to the number and severity of fires in cage-free barns.
Are barn fires a threat to farm animals?
A newly updated AWI report, “Barn Fires: A Deadly Threat to Farm Animals,” points to the increasing devastation caused by barn fires from 2018 through 2021. During the four-year period, 539 fires killed nearly 3 million animals.
How many fires happened in 2021 & 2022 from Rumble?
Here’s a complied list of nearly 100 fires from 2021 and 2022 from Rumble: 11—1/13/22 Cargill-Nutrene feed mill. Lacombe, La 15—2/5/22 Wisconsin River Meats processing facility destroyed by fire in Mauston, Wisconsin. 17—2/15/22 Shearer’s Foods Food processing plant explodes in Hermiston, Oregon.
Where are barn fires most common in 2022?
As in previous years, barn fires in 2022 most often occurred in the Upper Midwest and Northeast. Of the 128 fires tracked by AWI this year, Wisconsin reported the most with 17, followed by New York with 14, Pennsylvania with 12, and Minnesota with 11.
How do barn fires affect a farm?
Barn fires can happen on any type of farm, from small hobby farms with only a few animals to large commercial farms with tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of animals. As in previous years, the cause of most fires in 2022 was not conclusively determined.
How common are farm fires?
According to data from the U. S. Fire Administration, there are around 20,000 fires on agricultural properties every year, resulting in approximately $102 million in property losses annually.
How many reported fires occurred during 2021?
About 1,353,500 fires were put out by local fire departments in the US in 2021. This includes departments that protect towns, townships, cities, and counties. These fires caused an estimated 3,800 civilian deaths; 14,700 civilian injuries; and $15. 9 billion in direct property damage.
How many chicken farms are in the US today?
As of 2017, the most recent year for which data is available, there were 164,099 poultry farms in the U. S. , according to the Department of Agriculture. Mar 27, 2024.
How many chickens are in the average chicken farm?
A modern 60 × 600-foot broiler house may grow 36,000 to 52,000 chickens. Larger target- weight birds need more space to access feed and water adequately; therefore, houses growing those birds have fewer chickens. Houses for smaller birds contain more chickens per house.