A brush fire that burned more than 300 acres in almost a day across in York County has been largely contained.
Firefighters working to douse the blaze that spread across a remote forested area in Wells, Kennebunk and Sanford, said late Thursday afternoon confirmed that it had been mostly extinguished, according to Maine Public Radio.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but it was able to spread more easily due to Wednesday’s dry conditions, District Ranger George Harris told an MPBN reporter.
“So we’re looking at dead leaves, dead grass, all conducive to contributing to spring fires,” Harris said.
By early Thursday afternoon, about 80 percent of the wildfire — which has spread across a remote forested area of Wells, Kennebunk and Sanford — had been contained to an area off Route 99, after firefighters from 18 local departments and the Maine Forest Service worked overnight to battle the flames, according to local reports.
Aerial shots of Kennebunk wildfire from Maine Forest Ranger Pilot Jeff Miller, flying “Ranger 935” – Bell UH-1H based in Augusta. It carries a 230 gallon bucket for dropping water on wildfires. #MEFire pic.twitter.com/45WJ4Ztmxu
— Maine Forest Rangers (@MaineRangers) May 3, 2018
The fire was reported at 4 p.m. Wednesday. By 10:30 p.m. that night, the forest service tweeted that it had already burned 60 acres. The forest service said Thursday morning that the reported acreage jumped so dramatically because officials were more accurately able to map the fire in the light of day and using GPS — not because the fire had spread.
“How big is an acre, you ask? 208 feet by 208 feet. Or, roughly the size of a football field,” the Forest Service tweeted at 10:29 p.m. Wednesday.
Fire size is approximately 60 acres. How big is an acre, you ask? 208 feet by 208 feet. Or, roughly the size of a football field. #MEFire
— Maine Forest Rangers (@MaineRangers) May 3, 2018
Officials are still investigating the cause of the fire. Fire officials said the fire did not pose a risk to the public, given the blaze’s remote location, officials told CBS affiliate WGME.
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