Two koalas have been found suffering from injuries after fires ripped through bushland in the Maria River National Park.
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A team of volunteers from the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital have spent the past week searching firegrounds between Port Macquarie and Kempsey for injured wildlife.
A female koala suffering from burns was found one day after fire ripped through the Maria National Park on August 18.
Koala Hospital vet Dr Astrid Van Aggelen said the koala's injuries were so severe she had to be euthanased.
"The koala had extensive burns and lung injuries due to smoke inhalation," Dr Van Aggelen said.
"A second koala that didn't sustain burns, but is suffering from smoke inhalation, is now in our care."
Dr Van Aggelen assessed the koala when it came into the hospital's care and said the young male is now showing signs of recovery.
"Both koalas had respiratory injuries and were very distressed," she said.
"But the koala now in our care is looking brighter. It's very much a matter of monitoring and seeing how it goes."
Koala Conservation adviser Cheyne Flanagan has been coordinating the searches across firegrounds.
"Our searches wrapped up on Wednesday," she said.
"What the volunteers have been doing is going out and looking for burn koalas and other wildlife."
Ms Flanagan said koalas can be difficult to find on firegrounds because they blend in with the burnt trees.
"Unfortunately one of the koalas we found was on the ground and she was severely burnt."
Ms Flanagan said volunteers are now preparing for the upcoming bushfire season.
"The bushfire season is not looking good and I think that we will be out there again," she said.
She also raised concerns after an RFS spokesperson confirmed some of the fires that started on Friday, August 18 were thought to be deliberately lit.
"Unfortunately arsonists come out of the woodwork when weather conditions get bad," Ms Flanagan said.
"People don't realise how badly these fires affect our wildlife."
The RFS confirmed the cause of a number of fires across the Mid North Coast are being investigated.
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