Sunapee crews extinguish Interstate 89 brush fire near Springfield line

Sunapee firefighters knocked down a brush fire in the median of Interstate 89 near the Sunapee-Springfield town line within minutes Thursday, a fast-moving roadside blaze that highlighted how quickly dry grass and highway heat can turn a small ignition into a traffic hazard.

The call came in at 12:55 p.m. on May 21, and Sunapee Forestry 6 reached the scene at 1:06 p.m. Lieutenant Timothy White served as incident commander. Crews found an area about 30 by 30 feet actively burning in the median, then had the fire under control by 1:12 p.m. Units remained on scene to extinguish hot spots and check for further spread before clearing around 1:30 p.m.

Because New London Dispatch received multiple and conflicting location reports, both Sunapee Fire and the New London Fire Department were toned to make sure the response was fast. Sunapee Fire said Forestry 6 and Tanker 4 were the apparatus on scene. After clearing the interstate, Sunapee units were dispatched to a medical emergency in Georges Mills, underscoring how quickly a volunteer department can move from one call to the next.

The incident carried a clear public-safety lesson for drivers on the I-89 corridor through Sullivan County: median fires can spread fast in dry conditions, especially when low humidity and wind are in play. Sunapee had already raised local fire danger to HIGH and prohibited outside burning until further notice, warning that small fires can run through roadside growth before crews arrive. The department’s burning rules also say flammable waste material cannot be thrown on or near a public highway or private way in or near woodlands.

Sunapee Fire also emphasized that it remains primarily a volunteer department, supported by one part-time firefighter who is in the station only a couple days each week. That makes 911 the right number to call in emergencies and explains why mutual aid matters when a fire breaks out along a highway median. Neighboring departments help keep response times short and reduce the time a roadway hazard remains active.

The Thursday brush fire was one of three calls Sunapee Fire handled that day within town, including two medical emergencies. It also came just three days after the department assisted Grantham on a 2nd-alarm brush fire on May 18, another sign that brush-fire demand had already picked up across the region.

For motorists, the takeaway was straightforward: if smoke or sparks appear along the highway, report it immediately and stay clear of the area while crews respond. On I-89, even a small median fire can become a fast-moving emergency long before it looks large from the road.