Small brush fire extinguished in Jamesport hayfield

Firefighters put out a small brush fire in a hayfield south of Main Road in Jamesport Thursday afternoon.

Witnesses said the fire began about 2:15 p.m. in a field behind Briarcliff Sod and just southeast of Clovis Point winery.

Though the fire was in Jamesport and technically in Riverhead police’s jurisdiction, Mattituck Fire Department volunteers and the Southold Town Police department responded soon after the fire began due to an error by the county dispatcher.

By 2:40 p.m., Mattituck firefighters had put out the blaze. Jamesport Fire Department was notified of the fire after it was already put out and responded to the scene to investigate, said second assistant chief John Andrejack.

Fire officials believe the fire was caused by an overheated clutch on a combine tractor that was cutting hay in the field.