Small animals like cats and squirrels are wreaking havoc in Central Washington this summer as fire crews respond to brush fires.
Two cats in Grant County have started fires, so far, this season after climbing onto electrical lines. On Aug. 2, a fire quickly spread to dry grass, and eventually to nearby outbuildings, cars and a camper. “The cat apparently had crawled up the pole, got into the power lines and blew the breaker,” Grant County District 13 Fire Chief Jim Stucky said. “The cat, when it got electrocuted, of course, it started its fur on fire and it fell down onto the ground and away the grass went.”