BANGOR – A fire of suspicious origin burned about an acre of forestland near Pocomoonshine Mountain in Princeton on Thursday before fire crews from the local fire department and the Maine Forest Service were able to contain it.

District Ranger Jeff Currier credited pilot David Herrick of Princeton, who reported seeing smoke shortly before 5 p.m. as he was flying near the Princeton airport, and the efforts of the fire crews with averting further damage.

After Herrick notified the airport to contact the forest service, firefighters found a wildfire burning in a stand of mature softwood trees on the south side of the mountain on land owned by Wagner Forest Management of Bangor, according to Currier.

Two forest rangers, as well as two fire engines and a fire crew from Princeton, located the fire near a logging job and reached it by skid trails from the harvest. The forest service also dispatched a helicopter to the heavily forested area.

“We were very fortunate that Mr. Herrick reported the fire to us so promptly,” Currier said, “and we are pleased with such a quick response from our rangers and the Princeton Fire Department.”

While the cause of the fire remains under investigation, Currier said there is no question it was “human caused.” The fire was not in an area used by recreational campers, he said, and rangers collected several pieces of evidence at the scene, which led them to believe the fire was not started by accident. The evidence will be processed for fingerprints, he said.

Currier urged anyone with information about the fire to call the Maine Wildland Arson hot line at 800-987-0257.

The forest service also reminds the public to be cautious about campfires and when conducting open burns.

Currier said continuing high temperatures, gusty winds and the lack of rain have been increasing the danger of fire each day. The fire danger in Hancock and northern Washington County is classified now as high to very high.

Some communities and the forest service are limiting brush-burning permits until the area receives appreciable rainfall, according to Currier. He said rangers will be patrolling areas and checking fire permits, and the forest service’s air detection planes would be in the air.