Current:Home > NewsBird ignites fire in Colorado after it hits power lines, gets electrocuted: 'It happens'-LoTradeCoin
Bird ignites fire in Colorado after it hits power lines, gets electrocuted: 'It happens'
View Date:2025-01-11 13:45:45
A brush fire that broke out behind a restaurant in Colorado was caused by an unlikely suspect: a bird.
The three-acre brush fire that sparked just northeast of The Fort restaurant in Morrison, a town about 20 miles from Denver, was caused by a bird that caught fire after it hit power lines and was electrocuted, West Metro Fire Rescue said in a post on social media.
"When it fell to the ground - it ignited the brush on the ground," the agency said.
The fire, that started in a field away from structure, burned in grass and oak brush, the fire rescue service said, adding firefighters were able to quickly contain the fire and clean up the area.
'It happens'
When a user on X asked the agency about the odds of such an incident occurring, the fire department said: "Well, it happens. Not all the time, but, it happens."
Turns out birds can actually trigger wildfire. The Wildlife Society Bulletin, in a 2022 research paper, noted that one of at least 44 wildfires was caused by electrocuted birds in the United States from 2014 through 2018.
One of the authors of the research paper Taylor Barnes had told the New York Times at the time of publishing that bird electrocutions usually occur in places with few trees, where bigger bird species may perch or nest on utility poles. While a bird can rest on one wire with no problem, touching two wires simultaneously or touching one wire and a piece of grounded equipment, such as a transformer, can spark an issue.
Wildfires in Colorado
Colorado, meanwhile, is battling several wildfires that broke out along the foothills of the Rocky Mountains this week due to a persistent drought and stretches of intense heat.
Four wildfires broke out between Monday and Wednesday along the Front Range, which runs from central Colorado into Wyoming, passing near several major cities including Denver. The fires grew rapidly and encroached on populated areas, forcing hundreds of people to flee. Several dozens of homes have been destroyed, officials said.
West Metro Fire Rescue, in their post, also warned of dry and hot conditions saying that "fire danger is VERY HIGH in West Metro's district," and that extreme weather conditions will persist in the coming days.
Contributing: Christopher Cann, Claire Thornton, USA TODAY
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
veryGood! (594)
Related
- Monument erected in Tulsa for victims of 1921 Race Massacre
- Alabama to execute man for killing 5 in what he says was a meth-fueled rampage
- Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade lineup will include Minnie Mouse — finally
- Alabama to execute man for killing 5 in what he says was a meth-fueled rampage
- These Michael Kors’ Designer Handbags Are All Under $150 With an Extra 22% off for Singles’ Day
- ‘Breaking Bad’ star appears in ad campaign against littering in New Mexico
- ‘Breaking Bad’ star appears in ad campaign against littering in New Mexico
- Big Tech’s energy needs mean nuclear power is getting a fresh look from electricity providers
- Tua Tagovailoa playing with confidence as Miami Dolphins hope MNF win can spark run
- Harry Styles mourns One Direction bandmate Liam Payne: 'My lovely friend'
Ranking
- Climate Advocacy Groups Say They’re Ready for Trump 2.0
- Why Erik Menendez Blames Himself for Lyle Menendez Getting Arrested
- Colorado gold mine where tour guide was killed and tourists trapped ordered closed by regulators
- US presidential election looms over IMF and World Bank annual meetings
- These Yellowstone Gift Guide Picks Will Make You Feel Like You’re on the Dutton Ranch
- Powerball winning numbers for October 16 drawing: Did anyone win $408 million jackpot?
- Liam Payne Death Investigation: Authorities Reveal What They Found Inside Hotel Room
- 15-year-old Kansas football player’s death is blamed on heat
Recommendation
-
Unexpected pairing: New documentary tells a heartwarming story between Vietnam enemies
-
U2's Sphere concert film is staggeringly lifelike. We talk to the Edge about its creation
-
Megan Marshack, aide to Nelson Rockefeller who was with him at his death in 1979, dies at 70
-
Uphill battles that put abortion rights on ballots are unlikely to end even if the measures pass
-
Black and Latino families displaced from Palm Springs neighborhood reach $27M tentative settlement
-
Paulson Adebo injury update: Saints CB breaks femur during 'Thursday Night Football' game
-
Homeland Security grants temporary status to Lebanese already in the United States
-
Midwest chicken farmers struggle to feed flocks after sudden closure of processor