A fire that consumed just over an acre off East Pond Road near the Jefferson town line on March 21 is believed to have been started by an ATV, Ranger Dan Skillin with the Maine Forest Service said.
There were ATV tracks found near the source of the fire, and it’s likely that the fire started because the vehicle did not have a working spark arrestor, Skillin said. Law requires all motor vehicles used in the woods to have spark arrestors, which prevent sparks from coming out of the exhaust.
There are no suspects at this time, or known identity of the ATV driver, but the fire is still under investigation, Skillin said.
The fire started around 4 p.m., and was fought by the Forest Service and multiple Lincoln County fire departments. Nobleboro Fire Chief Woodbury McLean declined to comment on the incident.
There were rumors at the scene that two children were seen running from the fire, Skillin said. After some investigation, it was determined that the kids likely came after the fire had started to see what was going on, he said.
Dry conditions caused the fire to spread quickly, Skillin said.
“It’s unusual to see it so dry this early,” Skillin said. “Usually we don’t start seeing fires like this until at least April.”
Skillin encourages everyone to take precautions when conducting any permitted burns.