A brush fire that burned 145 hectares at Base Gagetown has been reduced to smoke over about one hectare, a Defence Department official says.

Forestry superintendent Jeffrey Smith said the fire started last Wednesday at the Rockwell impact area of the base.

The area is used for training soldiers at 5th Support Base Gagetown in various technical and operational skills.

Smith says the base will continue to monitor the fire and hopes rain will alleviate the risk after so much dry weather. (Nathalie Sturgeon/CBC )

Smith suspects the fire was started by an incendiary device but couldn't provide a definitive cause.

Heavy machinery was used to help combat the blaze.

"In the impact areas, we only used armoured vehicles," he said in an interview. "We used an armoured bulldozer."

Safety is paramount

According to Smith, the base is monitored 24 hours a day by the range control office. Both civilian and military personnel are expected to notify the range control if a fire starts.

Light clouds of smoke are barely visible from what remains of a fire that burned in the Rockwell impact area on the base. (Nathalie Sturgeon/CBC )

The province of New Brunswick is under a burn ban, but the base operates under its own policy.

"We use our own version of the Fire Weather Index, which restricts certain munitions from being used, depending on the level of the [index]," said spokesperson Capt. Evelyne Lemire.

"Safety is paramount to all activities within the range and training area."

Special fire prevention training

Lemire also said that each year the base conducts a wildland fire management program.

"In order to control vegetation at specific locations in the training area to ensure a safe, effective and efficient training site," she said in an emailed statement. "Reducing the fire hazard — particularly in impact areas — and thereby protecting the people."

The Rockwell impact area is close to the general area of Geary, near Oromocto.

Smith said if the fire is bad enough, the base works with the right public departments to ensure public safety.

"We always communicate with the outside agencies," he said. "We are still going to monitor the fire. We'll just keep an eye on it until we get some rain."