A recent rescue in Santa Barbara County gave firefighters a break from their usual emergency calls when they were dispatched to help an owl trapped inside a home’s chimney.
What happened?
On June 10, firefighters responded to a residence in Los Olivos after an owl was discovered stuck in a chimney, according to Edhat.
Crews successfully freed the bird and released it back into the wild. While the Santa Barbara County Fire Department shared details of the rescue on social media, officials did not explain how the owl became trapped or provide the exact location of the incident.
The department highlighted the unusual call with a lighthearted caption: “Look ‘whooooooo’ needed a little assistance!”
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A post shared by Santa Barbara County Fire Dept (@santabarbaracountyfire)
Why does it matter?
Although chimneys are designed to vent smoke and heat from homes, they can sometimes become accidental traps for wildlife. Birds, squirrels, and other animals may enter chimneys, vents, or similar openings in search of shelter or nesting sites, only to find themselves unable to escape…