Beaver Blamed For Fire That Broke Out In Oregon

Experts say this wildfire season has been unusual, from record-breaking blazes to dry conditions and blistering temperatures enabling them. Fire officials, however, didn't expect a beaver to be behind a fire in Oregon.

The Corbett Fire Department got a call Thursday night (September 16) about a fire near Benson Lake, a half-mile west of Multnomah Falls, Oregon Live reports. Firefighters quickly put out the fire, which was less than two acres. Officials say no structures were threatened or damaged by the fire.

As for how the fire started, crews learned that a falling tree knocked down a power line. It turns out the tree was actually chewed up, fire officials say.

The suspect beaver was nowhere to be found, according to Assistant Corbett Fire Chief Rick Wunsch.

“He must have got out of there real quick,” he said Friday.

It was "the first time in Wunsch’s 15 years with the fire department that one of Oregon’s beloved state animals was discovered to be an accidental arsonist," reporters wrote.

That's not the only strange incident that was caused by an animal. Click here to read about how an American icon casued a widespread power outage in Washington.