© Handout / Ashcroft Fire Rescue / AF
Firefighters who found a charred fish at a fire in western Canada believe a tired bird may be to blame for sparking flames.
The fire department in Ashcroft, British Columbia, was called to respond to a heavy fire about six kilometers (3.73 miles) south of the town on July 30.
"A quick investigation revealed the cause of this fire. It was determined to be a fish.
"Yes, you read that right, the fish had an incredible journey," the department said in a Facebook post.
The nearest river is three kilometers away, but investigators determined the fish was scooped up by an osprey, which then dropped it onto a power line mid-flight.
Sparks from the disrupted line ignited the dry grass below, the department said, speculating the bird may have dropped its catch because it was tired from the excess heat.
"Or another suspicion could be that it’s tired of raw fish and wanted to give cooked a try," the department joked.
The fish was thoroughly charred after the incident but Ashcroft's fire department said the osprey sustained no injuries.
The fire was extinguished without further incident.
© Handout / Ashcroft Fire Rescue / AF
