Officials with New Gloucester Fire Rescue say an improperly extinguished campfire was the source of a wildfire Tuesday afternoon.
Within the five minutes between the initial call at 3:03 p.m. and the firefighters' arrival at Brookside Drive, what was originally reported as a small outdoor fire had expanded rapidly, according to Deputy Chief Hale Fitzgerald.
Chief Craig Bouchard quickly upgraded the fire to an "all hands" call, allowing more resources from nearby fire departments and station coverage.
With crews from Gray Fire Rescue positioned on the other side of the fire along Interstate 95, the fire was contained within 40 minutes, according to the Deputy Chief. By then the fire had burned 3.5 acres, and it took another hour to put out any hot spots.