Nearly all of Maine was placed under a high fire danger alert Thursday on a day that brush fires burned across the state.
The Maine Forest Service placed six of its seven weather zones under a high fire danger alert, according to the service’s daily wildfire danger report.
The only region that was not in a high wildfire zone was Fort Kent and a large section of northern Maine on the Canadian border.
Saco firefighters battled a brush fire that started around 2:15 p.m. Thursday in a field next to the KOA campground off Route 1 in Saco.
Saco Fire Department Capt. Vincent Pelletier said sparks from a blowtorch that workers were using to cut a steel fence started the campground fire, which burned about a half-acre. Pelletier said that no RVs or buildings were threatened by the fire.
“Today’s brush fire was a bit of a surprise given all the rain we’ve been seeing,” Pelletier said.
Pelletier said most fire departments, including Saco, will not be issuing burn permits in the near future because of dry conditions. He said it’s always a good idea for residents to check with their local fire department before burning brush or debris.
The town of Sumner in Oxford County reported a 2-acre brush fire, and firefighters battled a 1-acre fire in Bucksport.
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