We have written about animals causing fires a number of times, but this situation is unique.
On August 3 in Northern California a Humboldt County sheriff’s deputy was responding on Highway 96 to a report of an overdose when the patrol vehicle crashed, burned, and started a small vegetation fire that was suppressed after blackening half an acre.
It took several days for the surprising cause of the accident to be revealed.
On August 7 Caltrans reported that the deputy’s vehicle was struck by a bear that fell off an embankment. Thankfully the officer escaped the vehicle without serious injury. The bear fled the scene, refusing treatment.
I had no idea a bear could cause fire. LOL. I am happy the bear was safe and returned to wherever he came from. I can imagine how stressful life is nowadays for big wild animals in the forest under global warming. Food and water sources must have been unstable.
The deputy was lucky. Another time and place and it could’ve been a grizzly accident.
Perfectly timed Bill. Strange but true. Hopefully Smokey Bear would be amused on his 75th Birthday.
Hopefully the dash cam hard drive survived the crash…..