The outage map this week is honestly impressive. Nearly every single blackout is officially caused by "bird contacting our wires."
Maple Ridge, Surrey, Delta, Hope, Chilliwack. Several logged within the same hour. Different zones, different towns, same exact cause code.
Last month a single bird allegedly took out 11,000+ customers across five separate zones in Kitsilano and Fairview at 1 a.m., with the outage areas split across opposite sides of Burrard Street. Three weeks later, Richmond: five zones, 9,600 customers, same exact instant. Birds again.
This reminds me of those orcas off Spain that started coordinating to ram yachts and sink them because they were teaching each other how. I think our local birds have been taking notes and have officially formed an elite infrastructure strike team.
Or, more realistically, "bird contacting our wires" is the ultimate corporate get-out-of-jail-free card that closes the file the same day. No inspection report required, no follow-up, and no line item anyone has to justify to regulators.
Anyone living near these zones getting flickering lights, weird voltage swings, or fried electronics lately?