An unlucky raven met a shocking demise on Revelstoke's power lines Tuesday morning, in an otherwise harmless explosion that roused ears around the downtown.

Revelstoke Fire Rescue Services reported that the bird, whose wingspan can reach more than a metre, sparked a high-voltage line along the 200 block of Campbell Avenue shortly before 10:30 a.m. April 8.

A truck and two firefighters responded to the incident, which was reported by residents as a hydro pole fire when smoke was spotted after the explosion. 

The department stood additional crews down when they determined there was no fire or damage to the lines, and identified a roasted raven on scene.

"I was surprised," said Fire Chief Steven DeRousie, who heard the blast himself.

He noted this can happen with "larger birds, when their wings can span the high-voltage line."

He told Black Press Media that it was unlikely that power was knocked out by the fowl play. However, this kind of electrical arc - a discharge of electricity that jumps between conductors and causes intense heat - can exceed temperatures of 50,000 degrees F, which is what causes such a loud bang, DeRousie explained.

Local fire crews responded to a couple similar bird burns in 2024, he recalled, as all it takes for the animals to trigger a spark is to have enough moisture in their feathers.

Asked how the bird fared, DeRousie made light of the incident by answering, "I would say that someone could have tried raven."

The responding firefighters promptly removed the cooked corvid.