WOODSTOCK — Firefighters from about 10 nearby towns, aided by a Maine Forest Service helicopter, battled a large forest fire about a half mile into the woods from Perkins Valley Road on Wednesday. 

The fire began around 11:30 a.m. Crews were still on the scene around 2 p.m. battling the flames, and other departments were being called for assistance long after. 

According to Andrew Johnson, who lives at 317 Perkins Valley Road, loggers had completed a cut in the area two years ago. He suspects that dry, dead brush and debris left from the harvest fueled the fire. 

“It’s dry as a bone up there,” Johnson said. 

“Hopefully (the fire) doesn’t come this way,” he said, around noon and about the time a helicopter was being called to help fight the blaze. 

Firefighters had to use ATVs to travel up a muddy trail to transport water and other equipment to the scene. 

Norway fire Chief Dennis Yates said firefighters had to pump water from nearby Andrews Brook, about 700 to 800 feet up the mountain. 

Johnson, and a neighbor, Brian Abbott, said when the fire started, it was the size of a campfire, but that it took less than an hour to spread to more than 10 acres. 

“It’s moving in all directions,” Abbott said. 

According to the Maine Forest Service, Wednesday was a Class 4 fire danger day.