DURHAM – A discarded cigarette or a passing ATV most likely started a fire Friday afternoon in a field off Soper Road that blackened about three acres, Fire Chief Bill St. Michel said.

State forest ranger John Leavitt was called to assist with the investigation, Michel said.

The fire was reported at 3:30 p.m. and was extinguished in less than two hours. About 30 firefighters from Durham, Lisbon, Freeport and Brunswick responded to the scene.

The property owners were identified as Dorrance Marstaller and his sister, Linda Marstaller.