AUGUSTA — State investigators continue to look into dozens of roadside fires that broke out in three different communities this week.
The roughly 24 fires burned small areas of grass and woods in Gardiner, Richmond and Winthrop.
An assistant with the Maine Forest Service said Thursday the fires remained under investigation and have not been classified as suspicious. Additional information is being withheld until at least next week, officials said.
No injuries have been reported in any of the fires and none of the flames threatened buildings or other personal property. Responding crews have gotten all of the fires been under control in less than hour.
The most recent outburst occurred Tuesday afternoon when eight grass fires broke out over a couple-hundred yard stretch along the east-bound lane of U.S. Route 202, near intersection of Old Lewiston and Annabessacook roads. The biggest area was about roughly 10 square feet, said Winthrop Fire Chief Daniel Brooks. Most of the fires measured just a few feet in diameter.
“It was a lot of little spots,” he said.
Brooks said no other fires were reported in surrounding communities on Tuesday.
“Normally if we have something like a cigarette we have one spot, but this time we had multiple spots,” Brooks said. “That’s what was intriguing about it.”
The fires occurred within a few hours of when a heavy rainstorm passed through the area.
“I really don’t know what’s going on,” Brooks said.
Similar fires broke out in Richmond and Gardiner on Monday. A total of 16 fires erupted around 11 a.m. over several miles of Interstate 295 in Richmond and Marston Road in Gardiner.
Maine Forest Ranger Matt Gomes said Monday afternoon that investigators were working to determine what started the fires.
“The preliminary investigation is pointing toward a defective vehicle,” Gomes said.
Several of the fires in Gardiner spread into the woods, Gardiner Fire Capt. Rich Kindelan said at the time. The fires in Richmond were primarily grass fires.
Craig Crosby–621-5642
ccrosby@centralmaine.com
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