TEMPLE — Fire departments battled a brush fire and smouldering combustion in the ground Tuesday in a wooded area off Jenkins Road.

The fire flared up Monday, Temple Fire Chief David True said. The Maine Forest Service dumped water on it by helicopter Monday night.

The service found the location Tuesday morning and called for local departments to help, True said. About a third of an acre was involved.

The fire was in the Thorndike logging area off the intervale, he said.

Firefighters were called out at about 10 a.m. and were leaving the scene shortly after 3 p.m.

Four-wheelers were mostly used to reach the fire. A local logger, Toby Hellgren, used his skidder to help smooth out a road to get tankers to the scene.

Strong Fire Department brought in a tanker that holds 2,000 gallons and Kingfield Fire Department arrived with its 600-gallon tanker, True said.

He was not sure how the fire was reported, but he thought someone on the intervale probably saw it. Dry weather is believed to be the cause.

“The soil is like powder,” he said.

Mutual aid from Strong, Farmington, Wilton, New Sharon, Industry and Kingfield helped Temple Fire Department, he said.

abryant@sunmediagroup.net