A grass fire in the Panorama area, believed to have been sparked by a squirrel, was quickly put out by the Panorama Fire Department on Saturday.
The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) said the fire and a localized power outage could have been caused by a squirrel in the hydro lines.
The fire was quickly contained, while BC Hydro remains on the scene working to restore power.
“The quick actions of firefighters prevented what could have been a much more serious situation, particularly given the dry conditions and gusting winds,” said the RDEK.
According to BC Hydro’s power outage map, 336 customers are without power, which is expected to be restored by Saturday afternoon.