Wildfire Burns 300 Acres Near Maine Border

A wildfire consumed 300 acres of the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire on Monday.

The U.S. Forest Service reported the fire in Coos County. Crews first responded at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The blaze sits seven miles southeast of Gorham, New Hampshire. It burns on the northwest side of the Wild River. This area lies west of Mount Hastings, a peak just over the border in Maine’s Oxford County.

Firefighters continue to contain the active burn in timber, snags, and leaf litter. The agency stated the fire posed no significant threats to life or property as of Monday afternoon. More than 40 personnel are assigned to the site. They face steep and rugged terrain that makes access difficult. The AirNow Fire and Smoke Map showed no smoke impacts beyond the immediate area on Monday night.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Terri Teller, a fire prevention specialist with the Maine Forest Service, said the state agency has not provided assistance. The U.S. Forest Service oversees the national forest, which extends partially into Maine.

Teller noted that dry conditions kept the fire danger rating high in southern Maine on Monday. The rating has been moderate or high throughout the state for the past week. The U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection produce the smoke map.