Osprey touches off fire
A MV-22 Osprey from New River touched off a fire Thursday near the BT-11 Piney Island bombing range in Carteret County.
Pedro search and rescue helicopter crews from Cherry Point were able to put out the ground fire from the air before midnight, according to a release from Cherry Point.
The fire started when the Osprey, attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 264, released a flare during training. Flares are a defensive measure used to avoid attack from enemy air defense systems, according to the release.
The Osprey crew was training during simulated battle conditions when the flare was released and started the fire.
According to the release, the Marine Corps is assessing potential environmental impact from the fire and would remedy problems if found.
The bombing range is located at the juncture of the Neuse River and Pamlico Sound and is used by military pilots for training.
