LINCOLNVILLE — Foam would probably help a lot in order to keep the water on the hay, according to Lincolnville Fire Chief Don Fullington. However, it is an organic farm, and the fire department is trying to keep it that way for as long as they can.

For six hours, Thursday, Sept. 1, firefighters battled a stubborn hay fire at 64 Heal Road, using tankers from Lincolnville, Searsmont, Hope, Northport, and Camden to spray an estimated 80,000 gallons of water toward between 300 and 400 bales of hay. The last Lincolnville personnel at the scene remained until approximately 8 p.m. Yet, none of them believed that the fire was truly extinguished, so they left their hoses in place.

And then on Friday morning, just prior to 8:30 a.m., a firefighter returned to assess the outcome. Smoke still burned from “a dozen spots, at least” within the hay, with flames visible, prompting six Lincolnville firefighters, an excavator operator, and a traffic control volunteer to return for a second round.

“It’s a bummer,” said Fullington, who was out of town on Thursday. “For everyone involved.”

The active fire is now extinguished, though on day two, the excavator continued to lift up hay until approximately 11:30 a.m., so that firefighters could hose the smoldering hay.  

The hay is now unusable, and though it continues to burn, it’s at a level manageable by the owner. The ideal, according to Fullington, is for the hay to be spread thin out along the ground, to be coated with water. However, limited space on the property prevents the spread. 

“The problem is that there’s not enough area here to spread it all out flat,” he said. “So, it’s either truck it out, or burn it.”

Fullington is considering allowing a weekend-long burn permit so that the owner can control the rest of the burn in a contained environment.

Reach Sarah Thompson at news@penbaypilot.com