Karen Espersen, centre, the co-owner of Universal Ostrich Farms, speaks with supporters with her daughter, Katie Pasitney, at the farm in Edgewood, B.C., on Sept. 22, 2025, as CFIA prepares to cull 400 of the farm's ostriches this week. (The Canadian Press/Aaron Hemens)

By The Canadian Press

CFIA plans ostrich cull in BC

Hay-bale enclosure set up before Ostrich cull in B.C. charred by fire

Sep 24, 2025 | 9:29 AM

A wall of hay bales used to corral a flock of ostriches in British Columbia in advance of an ordered cull has been charred by fire and parts of it are still smouldering.

Workers could be seen spraying the blackened areas with water as smoke billowed from the three-metre-high enclosure.

Ostriches are visible behind the wall, grazing and moving around, while several RCMP vehicles are stationed in front of the enclosure.

The wall was built Tuesday as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency began preparations to destroy about 400 birds after an outbreak of the avian flu was detected in some of the animals last December.

Tractor trailer trucks moved in with the hay shortly after the arrests of Karen Espersen, who is a co-owner of the farm, and her daughter, Katie Pasitney, when they refused to leave the ostrich pen on Tuesday.

MLAs clash over foreign ownership of Saskatchewan farmland

Nov 10, 2025

Outstanding community members

'We all loved him': respected Prince Albert broadcaster passes away

Oct 09, 2025

Nearing the end of harvest

Meals in the field and hats in combines: a look into end of harvest traditions

Oct 09, 2025

Officials have not said when the cull will start, and it’s unclear if the fire will delay those plans.

–

The Canadian Press