Wildfires are a natural process shaping ecological dynamics in many ecosystems worldwide. In animals, fire ecology research has mostly focused on fire effects on abundance and persistence of populations. However, the mechanisms behind the observed patterns of animal responses remain unclear. After a wildfire, the low mortality observed in burrowing lizards suggests the resiliency of their populations to fires. In this thesis, we hypothesize that lizards have developed a suite of mechanisms that enable survival during wildfires and their persistence in post-fire conditions. Additionally, we hypothesize that some environmental changes resulting from wildfires can be advantageous for lizards. Early fire detection is expected to be particularly important for fire avoidance. We explored the influence of fire as a driving force shaping the behavioral traits that allow lizards to detect and escape from wildfires (Chapters 2 and 3). Our results showed that the Algerian sand racer, Psammodromus algirus recognizes the threat of fire by detecting the smoke, which triggers a behavioral response that enhances survival in fire-prone ecosystems (Chapter 2). We also found that lizards from fire-prone ecosystems were more sensitive to fire stimulus than those from ecosystems that rarely burn, suggesting that the response to smoke may be adaptive in lizards from fire-prone habitats as it increases their survival. On the other side, we found that Western fence lizards, Sceloporus occidentalis, who have survived a wildfire had an enhanced fire detection ability and responded to the sound of fire as a threat (Chapter 3). We suggest that this reaction is acquired through experience with wildfires, highlighting the behavioral adaptability of survivors. This adaptability enhances survivor’s vigilance, which may be advantageous facing post-fire threats. Furthermore, we studied how wildfires may indirectly benefit lizards by disrupting parasite-host interactions (Chapter 4). Fire consumes the vegetation and the litter layer in the soil, reducing habitat for parasites. We found that P. algirus living in recently burned areas had lower ectoparasite load compared to those in unburned areas. This reduction of lizard ectoparasites suggests that fire can act as a "cleaning" mechanism, temporarily mitigating the potential detrimental effects of parasitism. This suggests wildfires play a role in controlling vector-borne diseases and pathogens, revealing overlooked ecological effects of wildfires. Lastly, we investigated the mechanisms employed by lizards to enhance their adjustment to the changed conditions resulting from fires (Chapter 5). One of the main characteristics of burned landscapes is the increment of ground temperatures due to the reduction of the vegetation cover. We found that P. algirus adjust their dorsal coloration (becoming lighter) likely to optimize their thermoregulation in burnt areas. As natural fire regimes are increasingly modified worldwide, understanding how animals adapt to fires and post-fire challenges is imperative for predicting potential impacts and identifying vulnerable species requiring conservation efforts. In this thesis, we provide evidence that fire is likely an evolutionary driver shaping behavioral traits in lizard populations exposed to frequent wildfires, we uncover a potential service of wildfires as a pest controller, and we show how fire-disturbed landscapes induce phenotypic plasticity in lizards. This research provides crucial insights into the intricate and dynamic interactions between fire and wildlife, underscoring the need for comprehensive approaches to studying fire ecology in animals.