I do not believe the Bees did this intentionally. It may have been the tree's fault, or the power companies failure to inspect their powerlines. Go tell that to the Bees
There is something about this story that does not make sense.
The Fire Department spokesperson states both the utility and the homeowner had "ample" clearance.
If that were true, how exactly could such an event occur?
There are a few possibilities that spring to mind but none of them fits with what the spokesperson said.
Of course, it is possible that government policy is the real cause.
In any event it seems imperative to force bees to take responsibility for their actions, including the unintended consequeces.
Indeed we need to Make Apes Genuinely Accountable as matriarchal societies tend to ignore the impact of their behavior on other species.
Maybe the Bees did do it intentionally. Does not smoke make Bees calm? They just wanted to chill out for a while. But now they must build a new hive. In fact, the police could smoke, but not with tear gas, the people at free speech rallies to bring about calmer heads. That way they will not sting one another.