New Hampshire Crews Battle Four-Alarm Brush Fire

MILTON, N.H. -- A four-alarm brush fire on Teneriffe Road required response from a dozen fire departments from both New Hampshire and Maine Sunday evening.

Just before 6 p.m., Milton Fire Department was called to investigate a report of smoke in an old logging clearing not far from the winding dirt road.

Upon arriving on scene, emergency responders discovered a fully involved brush fire.

Fire Chief Nicholas Marique said high winds fueled the blaze, causing it to spread throughout roughly eight acres of the heavily wooded mountain top.

With limited water and manpower available, Milton called for mutual aid from 12 area communities.

Crews responded from Rochester, Somersworth, Barrington, Farmington, New Durham, Middleton, Wakefield, Center Ossipee, Ossipee Corner, as well as Lebanon, Maine and Acton, Maine. Crews from Wolfeboro provided station coverage for Milton.

Marique said that no property damage was reported as a result of the fire, and that no one was injured.

Nearly two hours after the initial report came in, crews had knocked down the blaze. Responders remained on scene for more than an hour after the fire was put out to make sure that winds didn't cause it to reignite.

Marique said firefighters would return to the site this morning to continue investigating the cause, which was unknown as of late Sunday evening.

Copyright 2012 - Foster's Daily Democrat, Dover, N.H.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service