Downed Power Line In Banks Starts Small Brush Fire, Kills Pet Dog

BANKS, OR — A downed power line in Banks Tuesday morning reportedly started a small brush fire and killed a family's pet dog, according to Banks Fire District spokesman Mitch Ward.

Shortly after 10 a.m. Aug. 1, fire crews from Banks and the Oregon Department of Forestry were sent to Northwest Killin Road after receiving reports of a brush fire in the area. The fire was quickly extinguished by firefighters, Ward said in a statement, but not before burning a 10-by-30-foot patch of weeds and underbrush.

The fire reportedly started after wind knocked off the top half of a dead tree, which subsequently fell onto a nearby power line. No people were injured, Ward said, but the dog belonging to the family at the residence where the fire began was electrocuted by the downed power line.

Banks Fire officials remind the community to avoid downed power lines and to call 911 immediately when one is seen.

Photo Courtesy: Banks Fire District