Wildfire season is nearing its end, and the amount of wildfires in the state has decreased compared to last year.
“The amount of fires that we had this year was a little bit above average, but the amount of acres that we burned was lower than average, and certainly a lot less than last year,” said Kent Nelson, forest ranger specialist for the Maine Forest Service.
According to Nelson, there have been 633 fires causing 376 acres to burn so far this year.
“We really started off with a busy fire season. In early March, we started getting fires, and then through April and May and June, and we had that drought in June,” Nelson said. “Then in July, we got a lot of rain, so it really put a damper on things, which is good.”
Director of the Maine Forest Service Patty Cormier said weather conditions in the state can change quickly, which could impact the likelihood of a fire.
“The trees have lost their leaves for the most part, and that can add to the fuel as they dry out,” Cormier said.