The Unexpected Catalyst Behind Some of the Devastating Wildfires in the United States: New Insights

This summer, many regions of the world have once again experienced several dramatic fires. The cause, of course, is the dryness of the vegetation, sensitive to any spark. But what an article published in The Denver Postis that often, the spark comes from a source that is, to say the least… surprising!

While we are used to citing lightning, cigarette butts, negligence such as a badly extinguished barbecue or, of course, the desire to cause harm, the newspaper reveals that we must also add electrocuted birds to this list!

We don't think about it, but birds electrocuted on power lines can cause forest fires! © ververidis, Adobe Stock

Flaming carcasses falling to the ground

Getting caught in the lines at high voltagehigh voltagesome birds would catch fire and when falling to the ground, their carcass would then set the firefire to dried vegetation. A cause that would be far from anecdotal, since in the last two months alone, three forest fires in the state of Colorado were caused by the fall of electrocuted birds. Between 2014 and 2018, there would be 44 cases of this type in the United States.

The phenomenon is in any case significant enough that the companies managing the power lines are trying to find ways to reduce it.electrocutionelectrocution birds.