Crews still fighting wildfire near Greenville

Maine Forest Service rangers are working to keep a wildfire northwest of Greenville under control. 

Crews were sent to the wildfire off Demo Road in Brassua Township on Thursday afternoon.

The cause is still under investigation, and structures are not threatened, said Jim Britt, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry spokesperson.

Wildfires are always a concern, especially in areas near residences, but the risks increase when there are drought conditions. Piscataquis County has abnormally dry and moderate drought conditions, which are the two lowest measurements on the scale, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. 

“The fire is holding at 8 acres,” Britt said, noting storms were scattered throughout the night, which might have helped keep the fire under control.

Fire departments from Greenville and Rockwood assisted Thursday evening, he said. 

Four rangers were initially assigned to the wildfire, according to a post on Facebook and Twitter from the Maine Forest Rangers, which shared videos of the fire.

The fire was 15 percent contained at 8 acres on Thursday evening, rangers said. No injuries or threatened structures were reported at the time.

In mid-May, rangers and firefighters from multiple departments battled a wildfire south of Greenville over the course of several days. Residents of Lake View, a plantation in Piscataquis County, nearly evacuated, but then the plan was called off, according to the county’s emergency management agency.

The Maine Forest Service updates its Wildfire Danger Report, available on its website, daily. The risk of wildfires throughout the state was low or moderate on Friday morning.