Stoddard Brush Fire Has Burned More than 100 Acres

DEB SEAN: ALL RIGHT. THANKS. MAGGIE HASSAN PLANS TO VISIT STODDARD. A LARGE BRUSH FIRE HAS FORCED RESIDENTS OF MORE THAN A DOZEN HOMES TO EVACUATE. ERIN: FIREFIGHTERS ARE BATTLING THE FLAMES FROM THE GROUND AND THE AIR. THEY ARE EXPECTED TO BE ON THE SCENE IN TO THE WEEKEND. RAY BREWER LIVE FROM THE STAGING AREA. OFFICIALS THINK THIS MAY BE A CASE OF ARSON; RIGHT? RAY: THAT'S CORRECT, ERIN. YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE FIREFIGHTERS WHO HAVE BEHIND ME. STATE OFFICIALS ARE LOOKING FOR TWO PEOPLE RIDING TRAIL BIKES IN THE AREA. THEY BELIEVE THEY SET THE FIRES AND MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SETTING OTHER FIRES IN THE AREA. NOW THIS LATEST FIRE BURNED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF ROUTE 123 AND ROUTE 9, FORCING ROUTE 9 TO CLOSE A SECTION OF IT YESTERDAY. FIREFIGHTERS FROM ACROSS THE AREA, INCLUDING BATTLING FLAMES. THERE HAVE BEEN THREE HELICOPTERS, INCLUDING ONE FROM THE NATIONAL GUARD DROPPING WATER FROM THE AIR. OPERATION CENTER HAS BEEN ACTIVATED TO COOPERATE THE RESPONSE. 17 HOMES ON JUNIPER HILL AND TARBOX HAVE BEEN EVACUATED. >> THE CONCERN IS GETTING THE FIRE TO THE CONTAINMENT TO WORK ON THE FIRE ITSELF RATHER THAN IT WORKING ON US. NERVOUS. IT IS A DRY SPRING. EVERYBODY KIND OF SEEING THE WRITING ON THE WALL. THEY KNOW WE'RE GOING IT HAVE TO HUNKER DOWN AND BE READY ALL THE TIME. RAY: OFFICIALS ARE MAKING EVACUATION PLANS FOR TODAY JUST IN CASE THE FIRE EXPANDS AND MOVES TOWARD THE CENTER OF TOWN. ONE THING THAT'S MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR TERRAIN. BE ON THAT TERRAIN.