A fire in a vacant building in Orrington on Tuesday was started by an ember from a nearby brush pile.

It's very unusual to hear sirens in south Orrington, so when firetrucks were called to the Grant Road on Tuesday afternoon, all my neighbors came out of their houses and listened. This time of year, you just don't know whether there might be a wildfire nearby and, since we live in the woods, it's something we all want to keep track of.

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In this case, it turned out to be a fire at a house on the Grant Road, which intersects with Route 15, otherwise known as the River Road. If you travel that way, you've probably noticed the sign for the Wicked Muddy Mainer at the intersection with McGinn Road. Grant Road is just before that, if you're heading toward Bucksport.

The owners of the Grant Road property were apparently burning some brush on Tuesday, when a spark from the controlled burn caught the aging structure on fire. Orrington Fire-Rescue responded to the fire and had to call in help from mutual aid departments because of the size of the building and the challenges of getting water to the scene. The water had to be brought, through the woods, from a pond on the McGinn Road.

It took a little over an hour to get the fire under control. The building has been vacant for many years, so no one was displaced by the fire, and there were no injuries. Thanks to all involved for a job well done. No offense to the fire department, but here's hoping we don't hear you in South Orrington for a while, and not just because your sirens make my dog, Toby, howl.

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