Experts believe the shock explosion of a 200-year-old tree may have been caused by a heatwave.
Prolonged temperatures of above 35C in Portland, Oregon, in the United States have seen the city experience its longest warm spell on record, creating disruption in a number of areas.
Despite appearing perfectly healthy prior to the heatwave, an oak tree believed to be around two centuries old added to problems in the neighbourhood of Eastmoreland this week when it suddenly exploded, sending debris flying.
One of its large branches thought to have weighed around 13,600kg (2,140st) even made impact with powerlines, causing a limited amount of property damage.
Nobody was hurt in the incident but the quick loss of a historical oak has raised alarm in the area, with many seemingly unaware that such a phenomenon existed.
Explaining how a build-up of gases inside the tree from the heat caused the violent reaction, arborist Michael Jolliff told local television station FOX 12 : "That (heat) tends to cause thermal changes inside the tree in the wood tissues and also the build-up of gases inside the tree. That can be explosive and sudden."
He added that the "dynamic" reactions are more likely to happen in older, heavier trees and especially oaks, as the pressure increases more rapidly.
Mr Jolliff also warned that continued warmth — including future episodes brought on by global warming — would make these rare explosions increasingly likely, stating: "We’re going to continue to see it because of the way the heat is trending. here isn’t any real precursor or warnings and that’s the problem. No tree is perfectly safe."
The tree will now need be removed after succumbing to the heat, ending 200 years of survival that saw it doubtless survive many ice storms in one of the United States' most northerly regions.
Tree explosions are more commonly caused by extreme cold, with a number of incidences recorded during an abnormally frosty winter in Texas earlier this year.
