NORTH HAMPTON — Interim Chief Jacob MacGlashing reports that the North Hampton Fire Department and mutual aid partners from three states have maintained full containment of a brush fire that has now entered its third day of active suppression work.
The fire, which began Thursday afternoon, Aug. 7, in a heavily wooded area near North Hampton School, burned approximately 5.4 acres before being brought under control.
Crews have now reduced the active hot spots to an estimated 1-2 acres, but deep-seated burning in tree roots and downed logs continues to require extensive labor.
Firefighters are rolling over large logs, digging out root systems, and using small water lines and hand tools to extinguish hidden embers. Heavy equipment is also in use, but most of the work remains manual.
While fire officials do not currently believe there is any risk of the fire breaching established containment lines, weather conditions have not been especially favorable, with high temperatures and winds. Crews have been working from roughly 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day in challenging heat.
Mutual aid resources have increased since the early days of the response, with additional support arriving from Massachusetts and Maine.
The New Hampshire State Forest Protection Bureau has been on scene daily, and approximately 30-40 firefighters are expected to return on Sunday for what is hoped to be the transition into the monitoring phase.
“Our firefighters and mutual aid partners have worked tirelessly for three straight days to keep this fire fully contained and reduce hot spots,” said Chief MacGlashing. “While progress has been significant, the nature of this fire means we need one more strong push tomorrow before we can hopefully shift to a watch-and-monitor status.”
The North Hampton Fire Department asks residents to continue avoiding the fire area so crews can work safely and efficiently. There have been no injuries reported.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the North Hampton Fire Department with assistance from the State Forest and Lands Department. ♦
