'Charred Fish' Found at Fire Scene... Suspect Identified as Osprey

A Bird Drops Its Catch on a Power Line Near Ashcroft, Canada
Fish Causes Fire and Power Outage in Local Area

A fire broke out in Canada after a bird flying overhead dropped a fish it had caught onto a high-voltage power line, resulting in a power outage across the local area.

According to CBS News in the United States on August 6 (local time), the fire occurred on July 30 in a field about 6.4 kilometers south of Ashcroft, British Columbia, Canada. Due to this fire, the entire Ashcroft area experienced a temporary blackout. Local firefighters, nearby ranch owners, and power company employees worked together to extinguish the blaze, using approximately 18,000 liters of water.

The appearance of charred fish found at the Ashcroft fire site in British Columbia, Canada. Ashcroft Fire Department. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

However, a firefighter who responded to the scene discovered a 'charred fish' next to the flames. It was a puzzling situation, as the nearest river to the fire site was about 3.2 kilometers away, making it difficult to understand how a fish could be found there.

The mystery was quickly solved during the fire investigation. Not long after the incident, a post appeared on the Ashcroft Fire Department's Facebook page, starting with, "Are you wondering why there was a power outage in Ashcroft today?" The fire department stated in the post, "A prompt investigation revealed that the cause of the fire was a fish." The post included photos of the charred fish and scorched ground.

The culprit behind the fire was identified as an osprey. The bird had caught a fish from a nearby river and was flying overhead when, possibly due to fatigue from the heat or the weight of the fish, it dropped the fish onto the high-voltage power line. As the fish made contact with the power line, sparks flew and ignited the dry grass on the ground, causing the fire. The fire department jokingly added, "Maybe the bird got tired of eating raw fish and wanted to try it grilled for once."

In a follow-up post, the fire department wrote, "At 4 p.m. on August 1, the 'suspect' osprey was apprehended and is currently being held for questioning," adding, "The suspect is being charged, and the judge has determined that the suspect poses a serious 'flight risk,' so bail has not been granted." This was a humorous play on words, as 'flight' can mean both 'escape' and 'flying,' referencing the fact that the suspect was a bird.