Ashcroft, Canada – In a strange and surprising event, a fish is believed to have started a fire that cut off electricity for more than 1,500 people in British Columbia, Canada.
This happened around noon on Friday near a town called Ashcroft. An osprey (a large bird that eats fish) was flying with a fish in its mouth. But while flying, the fish slipped out of the bird’s beak and fell onto power lines.
When the fish hit the power lines, it caused sparks. These sparks landed on dry grass, which caught fire quickly. The fire spread fast and burned about half a hectare of land (that’s about the size of a football field).
The fire also caused a power outage, which means many people lost electricity in their homes and businesses.
Luckily, firefighters arrived quickly. They were helped by local ranchers and workers from the Columbia Hydro and Power Authority. Together, they used 4,800 gallons of water to put out the fire and stop it from spreading.
No one was hurt, and no homes were damaged.
The Ashcroft Fire Rescue team joked and called it a “fish fry”—because the fire was caused by a fish! But they also reminded people that dry grass can burn easily, especially in summer.
What We Can Learn:
Even small things—like a fish falling from the sky—can cause big problems. It’s important to keep areas safe, especially during hot and dry weather.