Fire extinguished at paper mill in Westbrook

Westbrook firefighters responded to the Sappi paper mill around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday for a fire. Upon arrival, firefighters saw smoke coming from a warehouse on the property, and a paper compactor was on fire inside one of the mill buildings, according to a social media post by Westbrook Professional Firefighters. Sappi employees were able to help keep the fire under control before firefighters arrived, according to a different social media post by the Westbrook Fire Department. Firefighters struck an "all hands," which allowed for mutual aid partners to respond and assist. "Quick work was made to extinguish and contain the fire to just the compacter and prevented further spread to nearby piles of scrap paper," the Westbrook Professional Firefighters post said. One person was evaluated by EMS.
WCSH-TV NBC 6 Portland

Forest Rangers search for people having illegal campfires in Washington County

Maine Forest Rangers are looking for the public's help in finding the person or people responsible for setting several illegal recreational campfires in the Downeast region. The fires have burned along the shores of West Grand Lake in rural Washington County, according to a post on social media by the Maine Forest Rangers. The fires were left unattended and spread into the forest, including difficult areas for forest rangers and firefighters to access. Forest Ranger Specialist Kent Nelson told News Center Maine there have been two fires in the area; one on Aug. 28 and the other on Sept. 25. The fires caused a total of $8,000 in damages. "The fires have also burned deep into the duff, making them tough to extinguish," the Maine Forest Rangers' post said. The Maine Forest Service is responsible for fighting wildfires in unorganized townships.
WCSH-TV NBC 6 Portland

Firefighters spend hours battling blaze at Jonesboro camp

Crews spent hours battling a fire in Jonesboro on Sunday afternoon. Just after 3:00 pm, firefighters were called to a camp on Evergreen Point Road where there was heavy smoke. Jonesboro’s fire chief tells TV5 that five departments responded to the blaze. He says the cause of the fire was a stovepipe that was installed improperly. The camp is not believed to be destroyed, although there is heavy damage to the walls and roof. There were no injuries.
WABI-TV CBS/CW+ 5 Bangor

Orono firefighters stress importance of smoke alarms during Fire Prevention Week

VIDEO: All this week, firefighters across the state are heading out into the community to share safety tips during fire prevention week. "Smoke alarms save lives," is the message firefighters are spreading for the theme of this year's fire prevention week. "It is such an important topic to be pushed out, the importance of smoke detectors, it has been proven and documented they do save lives," said Acting Deputy Chief for the Orono Fire Department, Bryan Hardison. Each year, the National Fire Protection Association chooses a theme to emphasize regarding fire safety. Orono Fire says they plan to spread that message all month long. "We incorporate it into a month long process, we're going to be going into the elementary schools K-5, we're going to try to hit some daycares in the community, just to get out there and make our presence known and push the fire safety aspect," said Deputy Chief Hardison.
WFVX-LD FOX 22 Bangor