CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A SpaceX static rocket fire test ignited a brush fire in the Merritt Island National Wildlife refuge, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The rocket test-firing occurred early Sunday afternoon on launch pad 39A, Spacex said in a tweet.
Fish and Wildlife officials said the blaze is contained at 4 acres at this time on a small island near the launch pad.
Firefighters are using a helicopter to drop water on the fire, officials said.
SpaceX conducted the test in preparation for the company's commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station slated for Thursday at 5:55 p.m., according to NASA.
USLaunchReport shot video of the static fire test:
#USFWS firefighters are responding to a new wildfire at Merritt Island NWR caused by a static rocket test fire #FLfire pic.twitter.com/9q9zoVgrnO
— USFWS Fire SE (@USFWSFireSE) May 28, 2017
Static fire test of Falcon 9 complete—targeting June 1 launch from historic Pad 39A for Dragon’s next resupply mission to the @Space_Station pic.twitter.com/LjG6JdVtCo
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 28, 2017
Today, @SpaceX had a successful hot fire test in preparation for their Commercial Resupply mission to @Space_Station targeted for June 1.
— NASA's Kennedy Space Center (@NASAKennedy) May 28, 2017
Cox Media Group