AN eagle has been blamed for a grassfire started by broken powerlines beside the Princes Highway at Codrington last week.

Country Fire Authority operations officer Henry Barton said it seemed an eagle flew into powerlines, creating an electrical short that broke two wires and ignited surrounding grass about 6pm on Friday.

The eagle appeared to have been killed instantly.

"He's folded up like a big turkey ready to baste," a local farmer said.

Mr Barton said the fire burned less than a hectare of grass and some nearby cypress trees.

Trucks from the St Helens and Codrington CFA brigades stayed on the scene for about two hours.

"It is not uncommon, but it doesn't happen every day," Mr Barton said.

Powercor regional asset manager Nick Rees said no customers were affected by the incident and the lines were restored by Saturday morning.

Swans were known to cause similar breakages, he said.