Crime & Safety

Flaming Squirrel Starts Brush Fire in Wentzville

The fire was contained to an approximately 50 ft. by 50 ft. area.

Wentzville's extended drought and the upcoming holiday has a lot of people worried about the possibility of fires from errant sparks. But a brush fire in a Wentzville subdivision Sunday night was not caused by fireworks.

It was caused by a squirrel.

Wentzville Fire Captain John LeDoux told Patch that the fire on Lost Canyon Drive in the Stone Ridge Canyon subdivision was the result of a squirrel shorting out a fuse on a power line.

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The squirrel caught fire and fell to the ground, starting a brush fire. The fire was reported at 8:55 p.m., and fire crews were able to extinguish it quickly.

"We were relatively lucky," said LeDoux. "The fire had to burn downhill, which fire doesn't like to do."

Find out what's happening in Wentzvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The squirrel, which was found at the base of the power pole, was not so lucky.


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