Brush fire in Gilmanton forest claims 2 acres, no injuries

GILMANTON — No one was hurt when a brush fire claimed 2 acres of heavily wooded forest near Guinea Ride and Sargent roads on Sunday afternoon.

The blaze is believed to have started from an improperly extinguished fire. Firefighters were called to the scene around 2 p.m. on Aug. 10, for a report of smoke in the area of Crystal Lake.

There were no injuries, and no property damage.

Gilmanton Fire Chief Joe Hempel said the location and conditions of the fire required assistance from other fire companies.

“What you had is a very, very hot day. You had a high-class fire danger day. The fire was in a remote location in town. It took a while to access the fire, and it required a second alarm response to get the manpower to the location to extinguish.”

A high-class fire danger means wildfires are likely, which can be difficult to control, especially under windy conditions. Fire danger ratings change based on temperature, relative humidity level, and wind. Sunday was the beginning of another heat wave statewide.

Units were on the scene for 4.5 hours, and returned the following morning to check for hot spots.

“The fire was very, very deep in the undergrowth of the forest,” Hempel said. “There was a lot of hand work that needed to be done."

Alton, Barnstead, Belmont, Gilford and Pittsfield fire departments assisted at the scene.

Hempel advised that anyone starting a fire needs to properly extinguish it before leaving the area unattended.

“The fire is cold before you leave. It's wet, it's soaked down. All the surrounding area is soaked down,” he said.