ROCKINGHAM — The North Carolina Forest Service responded to a fire behind Richmond Plaza on Friday afternoon between Broad Avenue and County Home Road.
Officials said the fire was reported before 5 p.m. and was likely caused by homeless individuals.
“The homeless more than likely started the fire. There was no individual there on the scene,” said Seth Harwood, a smokechaser with the North Carolina Forest Service. “We burned it out. We blocked it and burned it out.”
Harwood said homeless individuals have camped in the area.
Last month, Richmond County experienced several fires, including one behind Rockingham Speedway on Cognac Road after a prescribed burn crossed containment lines. Additional prescribed burns on McBride Road and Derby Road also escaped containment, according to officials.
Two fires in the southeastern part of the county between Marks Creek Church Road and Gum Swamp Road burned a combined 225 acres. On the west side of Hamlet, officials said a vehicle dragging a trailer without a tire caused sparks along Freeman Mill Road and Battley Dairy Road, resulting in 10 fires — five on each road.
Fire season typically occurs from Feb. 1 through May 1. A second fire season takes place from Sept. 15 through Dec. 15.