Overview

• The blaze broke out on August 6 when an osprey dropped a fish onto a power line south of Ashcroft, igniting dry grass below.
• Ashcroft Fire Rescue and local volunteers used two vehicles and about 18,200 liters of water to extinguish the fire over a 60×90 meter area.
• Power was restored to roughly 1,500 residents shortly after crews doused the flames.
• Investigators discovered the charred fish three kilometers from the nearest river and confirmed that the osprey was unharmed.
• Officials speculated heat exhaustion prompted the bird’s drop, underlining how wildlife interactions can ignite fires as temperatures climb.