Forest fire near Ragged Lake burns 50 acres; officials seek cause of blaze

TOWNSHIP 2 RANGE 13 – A fire burned about 50 acres of timber and harvested trees Thursday afternoon near Ragged Lake in Piscataquis County.No cause for the fire has been established, according to Jim Downie of the Maine Forest Service. The point of origin was a nearby logging operation, he said.

Three forest rangers, a Hot Shot crew out of Greenville and several employees from the logging operation cut through the steep terrain to contain the fire, which was reported at about 1 p.m., Downie said. The crews still were working late Thursday to contain the fire.

Initial reports indicated that the fire was burning only 2 acres, Downie said. By 3 p.m., the flames had spread to about 25 acres. By 8 p.m., 50 acres had burned but the fire was contained, said Downie.

“They have some awfully strong winds and not really humid air, which helps really fan that fire,” Downie said Thursday afternoon.

The National Weather Service in Caribou reported sustained winds of 17 to 22 mph gusting to 29 mph for Thursday afternoon, with 25-30 percent relative humidity in the Greenville area.

“It’s dry enough with the winds to definitely help spread [the fire],” Rich Norton of the National Weather Service said Thursday evening.

Township 2 Range 13 is about two miles east of Ragged Lake and 35 miles northeast of Greenville.

Because the area is partially harvested, forest rangers were able to reach the fire fairly easily, but the forest itself is tough to navigate, Downie said.

“That area is pretty tough terrain … it’s never easy,” the spokesman said.

No buildings were near enough to the fire to be damaged, Downie said.

Three Maine Forest Service helicopters were sent to drop water onto the fire. Other equipment included two skidders and tank trucks.

Forest rangers bulldozed a firebreak around the perimeter in order to contain the fire.

The fire was burning mostly softwood slash and standing softwood timber, Downie said. Rangers planned to work this morning to clean up any remaining debris.