Weekend fires blamed on lightning Small blazes scorch remote parts of state

BANGOR – Lightning on Friday and Saturday touched off at least four small forest fires in remote parts of Piscataquis and Penobscot counties, officials from the Maine Forest Service said Sunday.

The fires scorched areas that ranged from a half-acre to nearly 10 acres, according to Rangers Maynard Thornton and Jim Downie, who also is spokesman for the Maine Forest Service.

As of Sunday evening, all of the fires were under control, Thornton said. He said that crews were expected to remain at the fire scenes for the next several days including:

. A 91/2-acre fire near Cuxabexis Lake in Township 5, Range 12, northwest of Mount Katahdin.

. A 3- to 4-acre fire near Chesuncook Lake in the Greenville area.

. A 31/2-acre forest fire, in Township 2 Range 9, off the Golden Road, northwest of Millinocket.

. A roughly half-acre forest fire in Township 2 Range 8, near Mud Brook, northeast of Millinocket Lake.

Other as yet undetected fires caused by the lightning could be smoldering, warned Downie.

Relatively deep layers of decomposing forest debris, known as “duff,” are common in Maine. Fires can smolder in duff for long periods before they produce enough smoke or flame to be detected. Duff fires tend to be stubborn and can continue to burn after surface flames have been extinguished, Downie said.

“We could use some good, soaking rain,” Downie said. He added that continuing dry conditions have increased the fire danger in Maine but that humidity last week helped prevent what could have been an even worse situation over the weekend.