MILLINOCKET, Maine — The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry's Maine Forest Service (MFS) is still trying to determine the cause of a fire at Baxter State Park in May.
The May 21 fire occurred at an area known as T2 R10 Wels and started near the Appalachian Trail on the Penobscot River's West Branch. The blaze consumed 45 acres of land. A log cabin, two outbuildings, and a newly constructed trail bridge over Katahdin Stream were destroyed in the fire. The total estimated cost to suppress the fire is more than $33,000.
The MFS says lightning has been ruled out as a cause and the investigation is still underway.
Maine Forest Rangers and Baxter State Park personnel worked together to control the fire. Portable fire pumps pulled water from the Penobscot River and multiple MFS aircraft to delivered thousands of gallons of water to help contain the wildfire.
"This fire was fast-moving and dangerous because of the dry weather and steep terrain,” District Forest Ranger Jon Blackstone said. “Our crew and the crew from Baxter State Park worked well together and stopped this fire from spreading into remote terrain.”
MFS is asking everyone to be vigilant and not engage in activities that spark wildfires. Maine Forest Rangers are reporting an unprecedented number of wildfires. Statewide, to date, Forest Rangers responded to nearly 800 fires, representing close to 900 acres, the highest fire count in 10 years. So far, there has been a 170% increase in wildfires caused by campfires compared to 2019.
