Washington County struggles with series of fires One person injured in series of nearly a dozen blazes

JONESBORO – A burning barn and trailer, planned burns in blueberry fields that got out of control, debris fires and incidents of arson kept fire officials and members of the Maine Forest Service busy all over Washington County during the weekend.

Fortunately, though nearly a dozen fires were fought, only one person was injured.

Shirley Howland was taken to Down East Community Hospital in Machias after suffering burns to her shoulder and face Sunday in a fire in Jonesboro that destroyed a barn and the trailer she was renting. A nursing supervisor at the hospital would not comment on Howland’s status when called Sunday afternoon.

The fire, which was reported about 11:45 a.m., spread to nearby fields, burning about 3 acres. It was unknown if Howland’s pet cat escaped the blaze, Fire Chief John Geel said.

When firefighters arrived, Geel said, the barn was in flames and smoke was coming from one end of the trailer.

Located on Drisko Lane just off Look’s Point Road, the property is owned by Richard Kelly of Whitneyville.

Firefighters were on the scene about 41/2 hours and were able to keep the fire, which had gotten into nearby grass, from spreading to a neighbor’s residence.

Geel said he was uncertain what may have caused the fire and that the State Fire Marshal’s Office was expected to investigate today.

Jonesboro firefighters were assisted by firefighters from Machias and Machiasport as well as the Maine Forest Service. Residents from the area also helped after the fire spread to nearby fields.

There also was a debris burn that got out of hand in Whiting on Sunday and a fire that burned 11/2 acres near Round Pond in Charlotte.

Fires caused by people burning debris Saturday consumed from less than an acre in Marshfield to 20 acres in Cherryfield. There also were out-of-control debris burns in Jonesport where the property owner reportedly failed to adhere to the limits of a burning permit.

“None of the [Saturday] fires damaged any structures, fortunately, but that has not been the trend so far this season. It seems as though this season the fires that we’ve had have been doing damage or destroying outbuildings and barns,” District Ranger Jeff Currier of the Maine Forest Service said Sunday.

The forest service also dealt with a few of what Currier described as “escaped blueberry burns.”

This time of year, blueberry growers often burn property in preparation for the fall season. There were blueberry burn fires in Cherryfield and Whiting.

“That happens although in most cases most blueberry firms are really diligent and rarely have problems,” Currier said. “The winds were such on Saturday that sometimes things happen.”

And conditions were perfect for fires to get out of hand with winds clocked at around 15 to 20 mph Saturday.

Two fires also appeared to be set – one involving 5 acres in Lubec and the other on Dyer Island near Harrington where 4 acres burned. The Forest Service’s air support team was pressed into service for the Dyer Island fire. Those fires remain under investigation.

“We had pilots for our helicopters on standby and they helped us with [the Dyer Island] fire,” Currier said. “One of our helicopters helped shuttle our firefighters and rangers out to the island. The cause is being labeled suspicious. We’re pretty sure that it was set, but we have to look at it a little more closely.”

The Forest Service remains on alert and at full staff with vacations canceled and rangers working adjusted schedules based on operation needs. Currier said that air detection pilots were doing routine runs over the weekend.

“Statewide there are nine air detection contract routes,” he said. “These contractors fly at our requests over a given route and on a route they have checkpoints where they call in and let us know where they are. When they find a fire they are very helpful in determining the exact location, how big it is and what’s burning and if there are any structures threatened,” he said.

Although fines of around $500 can be levied, the district ranger stressed that anyone found responsible for a fire can be held liable for the thousands of dollars it may cost to battle a fire.

“If someone is found in violation they can be held liable for the suppression costs to a town – what it costs the town or state to extinguish it – and that can easily run into several thousands of dollars just in an afternoon,” he said. “They also may have to pay restitution for damage to a neighbor’s property, which depending upon your neighbor, also could be a lot of money.”

He recommended that towns restrict open burning until after 5 p.m. “That’s because the temperature generally drops, the wind generally drops down, the relative humidity goes up and finally because there are generally more volunteer firefighters around and able to respond,” he said.

The district ranger also recommended that a debris or grass fire be totally extinguished before leaving it.