Fire Truck

TOWN OF WASHINGTON, Wis. (WEAU) -- Firefighters are keeping an eye on a forest fire that scorched two acres of land.

The flames may be snuffed out but the investigation is just beginning into what caused the mysterious fire.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources said the fire didn't happen naturally and could be suspicious.

The fire broke out east of Eau Claire in the Town of Washington, off of Nine Mile Creek Road.

Three local fire departments and the DNR were called to the fire around 10:50 a.m. on Thursday.

But the Jed Kaurich said the fire could have been burning for countless hours before it was spotted by a neighbor.

“At this time the fire is under investigation. It does appear to be human-caused,” said Kaurich, Augusta’s DNR Forest Ranger.

Neighbors told WEAU 13 News that the Eau Claire County Forest area is popular with hunters and anglers.

They said a truck was spotted around the scene of the fire Thursday morning.

“The fire burned very intensely even though it was a surface fire. We had two to eight foot flames at times for the duration of the fire,” Kaurich said.

The scene of the fire is about a quarter of a mile off Riverview Road.

To battle the blaze, crews had to take a narrow trail that was a difficult journey for fire trucks.

“It could have been a lot worse. It could have been in another area,” Kaurich said.

Don Ash lives down the trail from the fire scene.

He said recent dry conditions heighten the fear of a suspicious fire.

“It gets scary when the weather has been so dry. That's always a worry you've got when you live in the woods,” Ash said.

Kaurich said after a nearly year of dry earth, we could be in for a long fire season this fall.

“People really need to be careful with any fires that they have. If you do have a campfire or a fire, make sure the fire is out cold before your leave,” Kaurich said.

The fear of a possible fire bug lingers.

Firefighters said they'll keep checking the scene over the next couple of days to make sure the fire is out for good.