A 69-year-old Kennebunk man has been summoned in connection with a wildfire that destroyed 314 acres in York County earlier this month.
The fire May 2 burned acreage in Kennebunk, Sanford and Wells. No structures were damaged and no injuries were reported. Maine Forest Service photo
State forest rangers have issued a summons to Michiel Brown of Kennebunk, alleging he failed to properly extinguish a fire, said John Bott, spokesman for the Maine Forest Service.
Bott said the matter has been referred to the York County District Attorney’s Office, and Brown is scheduled to be arraigned in York County District Court in August.
The fire, which was reported May 2, burned acreage in Kennebunk, Sanford and Wells before firefighters brought it under control. No structures were damaged and no injuries were reported, but the wildfire, one of the largest in recent memory, put a strain on resources.
Drones were used to locate hot spots and helicopters dropped thousands of gallons of water on the fire. The fire burned for two days, with fire crews from 13 communities called on to respond.
The fire danger throughout most of the state remains moderate to high. A wildfire swept through a wooded area in Lincoln on Tuesday, destroying a mobile home, a shed and two vehicles. The fire destroyed two acres.
“Anybody out there with a burn permit has to realize that the potential to start a wildfire is always there,” Bott said Wednesday evening. “You have to be very careful. Our rangers have been out there on a regular basis.”
Brown had obtained a permit to burn brush on his property, but he did not properly extinguish it, and it rekindled in dry, windy conditions and spread.
Brown could face up to a $500 fine and $25,000 in restitution, Bott said.
Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at:
dhoey@pressherald.com
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