AUBURN — Firefighters doused a series of fires near the Auburn-Lewiston Municipal Airport runway Thursday afternoon after sparks from a passing train ignited dry brush.

While they were at the business of snuffing out the flames, firefighters also came to the rescue of a family of baby flying squirrels who were in the fire’s path.

Fire officials said three fires broke out in an area near the runway from Kittyhawk Avenue to Lewiston Junction Road. Fire crews battled the blazes from the ground and were able to make quick work of the fires.

Shortly after the flames were knocked down, Jennifer Marchigiani of Misfits Rehab wildlife rescue in Auburn got a voicemail from a firefighter.

“I’m an Auburn firefighter,” the voice on the line said. “We’re working on a forest fire over near Kittyhawk over by the airport and I came across three baby squirrels and I was told that you people were the ones I am suppose to call.”

One of the baby squirrels was found in the ashes of a burned out section of ground, the firefighter reported. One of the squirrels was dead when Marchigiani arrived, she said, “but the other two are doing great.”

She expects to nurse the squirrels to health before releasing them to the wild.

“They’re way too young to be on their own,” Marchigiani said. “Eyes are not even opened yet. But they should make a full recovery and be released when they are older later in the summer.”

Video of the baby squirrels can be found on the Misfits Rehab Facebook page.

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