MONMOUTH -- A fire Tuesday evening destroyed two camps and threatened three others on Lake Annabessacook.

The destroyed camps, located at 178 Alpakali Drive, were unoccupied when the fire broke out around 5:30 p.m., Monmouth Fire Chief Andre Poulin said.

The single-story buildings were owned by Travis Soule, of New Gloucester.

"They hadn't been there since Labor Day," Poulin said.

The camps were insured, he said.

Fire spread from the camp into the woods, burning about an acre and threatening three camps on Neal Lane.

"Due to the high wind, it got very close to some buildings on the next road over," Poulin said.

"We had a crew fighting the existing fire and we brought in another crew to protect the exposure. They were able to stop the spread of the woods fire," Poulin said.

The remote camps were engulfed in flames and had already collapsed by the time firefighters arrived.

"People about a quarter of a mile away saw smoke coming through the woods and they called it in," Poulin said.

About 50 firefighters and rescue crews from Monmouth, Winthrop, Leeds, Greene and Wales spent about an hour getting the fire under control, Poulin said.

Two firefighters sustained minor injuries, including a muscle strain and heat exhaustion. They were taken to a local hospital as a precaution, Poulin said.

"The most difficult problem we have down there is they're very small, private roads and we have very limited access," Poulin said.

The cause of the fire is undetermined, he said. An investigator with the State Fire Marshal's office is expected on the scene today.

"Nobody is living there and it's been several months since anyone was there," Poulin said. "We could just use a hand on investigating this one."

Firefighters remained at the scene for hours fighting flareups.

In addition to Wednesday's high winds, relatively dry spring weather has made for an enhanced risk of fire.

Craig Crosby--623-3811, Ext 433

ccrosby@centralmaine.com