Maine Forest Fire Contained in 3-Day Battle

Maine’s largest forest fire in eight years was contained Friday as firefighters resumed their three-day-old battle against flames that have scorched an estimated 1,000 acres.

The Maine fire was contained behind a six-mile line in the eastern portion of the state, Forest Service spokesman Dick Dyer said.

More than 100 volunteer firefighters from throughout the state, plus about 50 inmates from state prisons who had been previously trained to fight forest fires, have been bused into the area, state Conservation Department spokesman Marshall Wiebe said. A total of about 300 firefighters were available for duty.

The National Weather Service estimated chances of rain Friday at 50%. But, even with rain, authorities said it could be several days before the fire was under control.

Swamp Fire Smolders

In southern Georgia, a half-inch of rain fell on a 4,000-acre swamp fire that has burned since Feb. 17, but the blaze continued to smolder, authorities said.

Maine officials have said arson is to blame for the fire in their state. Forest rangers determined that three fires had been set within a 100-yard stretch of a logging road on Champion International Paper Co. land, Ranger Kenny Wing said.

While the fire raged Friday, state police asked motorists to avoid sections of U.S. 1 to keep the highway clear for fire-fighting equipment. Several spot fires spread across the fire lines Thursday but were quickly extinguished by helicopters equipped with 250-gallon buckets.