These animals aren’t afraid of fire

2. Tardigrades

Tardigrades, or water bears, enter a cryptobiotic “tun” state which helps them to endure extreme heat—up to 150°C—as well as radiation. Their resilience makes them among the toughest organisms on Earth.

3. Cockroaches

Cockroaches can withstand high temperatures near flames thanks to their tough exoskeletons and heat-sensing organs. This ability allows them to survive urban fires and other extreme conditions.

Even though cockroaches can’t survive full-fledged fires, they can survive parts of it (Image: Unsplash)

4. Scorpions

Scorpions tolerate intense heat and dehydration by retreating to rocky shelters during fires. This simple but effective strategy keeps them safe until the environment cools.

5. Fire-Chasing Beetles

These beetles are adapted to fire-prone areas. They can detect smoke using infrared sensors and lay eggs in freshly burned wood, exploiting post-fire resources that few other species can use.

Wood frogs can survive fires through behavioural strategies like seeking refuge in moist spots (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

6. Wood Frogs

Wood frogs survive fires in a unique way: they freeze solid before a fire, then thaw and resume activity afterwards, unharmed. This adaptation also helps them survive cold winters.

7. Ants

Ants protect their colonies by burrowing deep underground, safely below the reach of flames. After the fire, they emerge to rebuild and recolonise, thereby ensuring the colony’s survival.

8. Salamanders

Salamanders survive fire by seeking moist soil refuges and using their slippery skin to resist brief exposure to heat. Their combination of behavioural and physical adaptations allows them to thrive in fire-affected habitats.