ROXBOROUGH PARK, Colo — For the third time this summer, an electrocuted bird caused a brush fire.
The first time it happened this year was the Quail Hollow Fire in Byers in July, burning around 1,100 acres. Then in early August, it happened again in Morrison. The third and most recent time was Tuesday in Roxborough, near a Denver Water Treatment Plant.
“Seems to be a coincidence that these happen to have happened this year and, all surprising when we hear that that's the start,” said Brendan Finnegan, captain and wildland coordinator for West Metro Fire Rescue. “Our investigators pinned it down to actually birds.”
Finnegan said four small birds on Tuesday in Roxborough were electrocuted, caught fire and fell to the ground. The birds ultimately igniting the fire that burned about 35 acres.
“Pretty much any ignition in the grass fuels is going to start a fire, especially right now,” Finnegan said.
In this instance, the birds were against a Core Electric power pole. Amber King, the communications manager, says they try their best to prevent this.
“Things like equipment that goes over the energized pieces on a pole, rubber coverings, cages, all types of things to try to keep wildlife and specifically birds out of the equipment,” King said. “Unfortunately, it's just, we can't be 100%. Mother nature finds its way sometimes.”
West Metro Fire says electrocuted birds causing fires is not a trend, but rather, a coincidence.
“It was surprising as, you know, most fires, nine of 10 fires are started by humans,” Finnegan said. “So we'll call this a natural start.”