NEW GLOUCESTER – A fast-moving fire burned 2 1/2 acres on Shaker Woods Road on Saturday afternoon after someone tossed smoking material out of a passing vehicle.

A neighbor spotted the fire and called the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, authorities said.

Saturday’s winds dried the field’s surface and swiftly moved the flames across the land, said Deputy Chief Mark Bosse. The fire endangered three homes, but firefighters were able to stop it before there was any damage. The

Firefighters from New Gloucester, Raymond and Poland extinguished the blaze in about an hour. No information was available Saturday night on who owned the property.

Bosse said recent winds can accelerate brush and grass fires, and he cautioned people to be careful when getting rid of lit cigarettes or other smoking material.

“Something like that will start a fire in a second,” he said.