DIXFIELD – Charges may be pending against a young Dixfield child whom a state forest ranger said started a small woods fire off Common Road early Monday evening.

Maine Forest Service ranger Jay Bernard said Tuesday evening that at the very least the child, who is under the age of 13, will have to participate in an educational, youth fire-setter intervention program.

Bernard said the burn could have caused serious problems had not homeowners spotted it and started trying to put it out before firefighters arrived.

“It would have taken a while, but if left alone, it threatened a home,” Bernard said.

Dixfield firefighters responded to a 911 call at 6:03 p.m. Monday and found flames in a 20- by 20-foot area of softwoods behind a house on Common Road.

Common Road connects Route 2 and Canton Point Road.

“The occupants at the home doused most of it before we got there, but there was still a little bit of flame showing,” Dixfield Fire Chief Scott Dennett said Tuesday evening at the fire station.

Firefighters using Indian backpack firefighting pumps helped extinguish the fire.