Firefighters in Falmouth contained a brush fire Tuesday morning that broke out in a wooded area behind Route 1, according to a news release from the Falmouth Fire-EMS Department.
Crews were dispatched around 8:11 a.m. after reports of smoke near 309 U.S. Route 1. Firefighters from Engine 2 located a large column of smoke behind 360 U.S. Route 1 and found a 50-by-50-foot fire burning deep into the ground about 250 feet from the top of a steep access road leading to a cell tower.
Assistant Chief Colin Shea arrived and established command, while additional crews from Engines 1 and 4 and Utility 5 responded to assist. North Yarmouth Fire Department also sent a brush truck and off-road utility vehicle to help shuttle personnel and equipment up rugged terrain.
Firefighters used hand tools, backpack pumps, and hose lines to contain and extinguish the blaze. Assistant Chief Jay Hallett oversaw operations at the top of the access road due to the complexity and distance from the command post, according to the release.
The fire was under control just before 9:30 a.m., and crews spent about 30 minutes dousing hot spots. The Maine Forest Service investigated and found remnants of a small campfire believed to have sparked the blaze.
Engines from Westbrook and Cumberland covered Falmouthโs stations during the response. No injuries were reported, and all units cleared the scene by 10:06 a.m.
