Posted on 06/19/2002 12:52:03 PM PDT by RippleFire
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - A wildfire burning in Alaska's interior was ignited by state biologists using firecrackers to ward off an aggressive cow moose, officials said on Tuesday.
The firecracker shells were being used to protect a staff member from an approaching moose, said Cathie Harms, a biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
"One of the staff members on the ground saw the firecracker go off, saw some flames, ran over to try to put it out," Harms said. "By the time the staff member got there, it was beyond what he could put out, and then it ran up a spruce tree. And then once it was up a spruce tree, there was nothing he could do."
State biologists have long used firecrackers to deal with aggressive moose and bears, such as animals entering schoolyards. This was the first time they know of that one of the devices has started a fire, Harms said.
"It just wasn't real high on the radar screen," she said. "Certainly, we're a lot more careful now, because now we know."
No structures were burned or damaged by the McGrath-area fire, and no injuries were reported, officials said.
Harms said the biologist concerned had been in danger of serious injury from the angered moose. "From our perspective, we don't think our staff did anything wrong," she said.
The fire is still active, burning well south of McGrath, but the flames are in an area where they are considered to pose no risk.
Here we go....
This is from the "And You Think You've Heard It All" Department. The only thing that's missing is the cheese and someone's bitten sister. (I'm just glad I don't live near there.)
yeah - forest fires...
See mäni interesting furry animals
Including the majestik møøse
A Møøse once bit my sister...
No realli! She was Karving her initials øn the møøse with the sharpened end of an interspace tøøthbrush given her by Svenge - her brother-in-law -an Oslo dentist and star of many Norwegian møvies: "The Høt Hands of an Oslo Dentist", "Fillings of Passion", "The Huge Mølars of Horst Nordfink"...
We apologise for the fault in the subtitles. Those responsible have been sacked.
Mynd you, møøse bites Kan be pretty nasti...
We apologise again for the fault in the subtitles. Those responsible for sacking the people who have just been sacked, have been sacked.
First prize is some really good cheese. Got any?
Seein' moose and Julio down by de schoolyard.
da toolman, I absolutely love Moosehead beer! Also have horseradish cheese, but it's called "bar cheese" from Michigan. Yummies.
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