UPDATED: Fireworks blamed in Lebanon brush fire

Flames and smoke pour from the fire perimeter. Below, Milton, N.H., crews battling the blaze cut down trees to make a path for a Humvee (Harrison Thorp photos)

WEST LEBANON - Improper use of fireworks is being blamed for Thursday's brush fire in West Lebanon that charred about seven acres of forest.

No time frame for when the fireworks may have sparked the blaze has been determined, but Lebanon Fire Assistant Chief and Public Information Officer Dan Roy said late this afternoon that the Maine Forest Service was leading the investigation and that fireworks were the cause. No suspects have been identified yet.

Firefighters late in the day were spreading Class A fire-retardant foam on several acres of charred West Lebanon forest after a pesky brush fire pushed scores of fire crews to the limit earlier in the day.

The foam deprives the remaining hot spots of oxygen and speeds the fire's demise, firefighters explained.

The blaze was first called in a little before 9:30 this morning and was centered in an area deep in woods that is bordered by T.M. Wentworth Road and West Shore Drive about a mile north of Gully Oven.

The blaze was made more difficult to fight because of hilly terrain throughout the burn area.

Paula Bourque of 71 West Shore Drive said she awoke this morning around 6 a.m. and she and her husband could both smell smoke but saw no flame.

Soon after the first fire crews arrived it was obvious the blaze was spreading, so fire departments from Acton, Rochester, Farmington, Berwick, Middleton, Strafford, North Berwick, Alfred and Milton as well as the state Fire Warden were called in to aid Lebanon crews.

Lebanon Fire Chief Skip Wood set up a command post on T.M. Wentworth Road as Farmington Fire crews in a Humvee made their way up the hill from West Shore Drive. Crews were forced to saw down several trees as they worked to hack a path for the Humvee so it could help battle the stubborn blaze.

At the top of the embankment around 11:30 a.m., a large area of scorched earth was evident with flames shooting from some deadwood as acrid smoke filled the air and the heat from the fire intensified.

Above the hill the fire was worse, said one firefighter who refused to allow media to advance any farther.

Earlier a four-wheeler toting a trailer filled with water was sent up the steep embankment from West Shore Drive.

Crews were finally able to get a handle on the blaze early this afternoon and at one point had more than 2,500 feet of hose on the ground pumping water out of Milton Three Ponds to help battle the fire.

In all more than a dozen firetrucks were on hand as well as three ATVs, the Hummer, assorted Rescue trucks and several other vehicles to help battle the pesky blaze. About 52 Fire and Rescue crews were on scene at the height of the blaze.

Fire crews were still on scene late this afternoon keeping an eye on hot spots.

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