By Rod Hansen
Staff Writer

Goffstown News/Bruce Preston Goffstown firefighters used rakes to slow down the progress of the April 19 brush fire while they waited for water deep in the wooded area off of Kennedy Hill and Roberts roads.

A brush fire that burned more than a dozen acres of field was likely caused by a campfire, firefighters said.

The fire broke out at approximately 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19. High winds and dry conditions caused the fire to spread quickly through fields in the area of Kennedy Hill Road and Roberts Road, according to Deputy Fire Chief Mark Hurley.

Goffstown sent three fire engines, a water tanker, a forestry unit and a couple of staff cars to suppress the fire and carry personnel, which totaled about a dozen firefighters, Hurley said.

Neighboring departments sending mutual aid included Manchester, Hudson, Litchfield, Bedford, New Boston, Weare, Dunbarton and Allenstown, with state forestry firefighters and state fire wardens also sent to the scene, Hurley said.

The fire was pronounced contained around 10 p.m., Hurley said. Several firefighters stayed the night to monitor for further activity, including five from the state forestry department and three from Allenstown.

“That was mainly just for observation to make sure fire didn’t kick back up again,” Hurley said.

There was no property damage or injury resulting from the fire, although one firefighter did receive a minor eye injury from a branch, Hurley said. That firefighter was treated at Catholic Medical Center in Manchester.

Fire danger conditions were at Level Five on the day the fire broke out, the highest possible level, Hurley said. Fire hazard conditions have since improved over the heavy rains of the weekend, Hurley said.