There are many causes of forest fires in dry areas. Indeed, they can be triggered by cigarette butts lying around, power lines colliding in the wind, train wheels causing sparks, or even electrocuted birds.
This study published in the journal Wildlife Society Bulletin was conducted by a group of researchers from Colorado. Dismissing speculative reports, they identified 44 cases of forest fires caused by the electrocution of birds in the United States between 2014 and 2018. In 2017, a huge fire was started by a hawk chasing a snake in Montana. The falcon and its prey notably collided with power lines, were electrocuted, burst into flames and fell to the ground.
Although the fires recorded in the study were generally small, the researchers indicate that electrocutions from birds could be the cause of devastating fires. Thus, measures are needed.
They indicate that mitigation measures should cost less than cleaning up after wildfires, since these often affect homes. Better insulation of wires, the installation of spikes to discourage animals from perching on high-risk areas, and strategically placed nesting boxes should be enough to solve the problem.
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