How Bad Was Maine’s Worst Wildfire Disaster?

When it comes to wildfires, California is the first state that comes to mind for many people.

That's because California, which is known for its dry conditions, consistently leads the country in the number of fires and acres burned.

Strong winds, like the Santa Ana winds in Southern California, contribute to the spread of wildfires and make them more destructive.

Read more: Has Maine Ever Experienced a Deadly Tornado?

Here in Maine, the environment is more humid, and the risk of wildfires isn't as great as California's, but Maine still sees hundreds of them each year.

When it comes to Maine's worst wildfire disaster of all time, you have to go back to 1947, when a wildfire outbreak claimed more than a dozen lives and scorched hundreds of thousands of acres.

Weather conditions

Leading up to the disaster, the state experienced incredibly dry conditions.

According to the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Maine saw over 90 consecutive days of record-breaking high temperatures and drought.

The department says that many small wildfires started and spread out of control by mid-October.

Fire locations

According to the MDACF, the 16 largest fires were located in the following counties: Androscoggin, Cumberland, Somerset, Washington, Penobscot, Sagadahoc, Hancock, Oxford, and York.

The largest fire burned 109,110 acres in Shapleigh, Waterboro, Wells, Lyman, Saco, Kennebunk, Hollis, Dayton, Alfred, Newfield, Limerick, and Parsonsfield.

Destruction/loss of life

The fires burned over 220,000 acres, destroying about 1,000 homes, according to the Maine department.

About 2,500 people were left homeless and 16 people dead, it stated, while damages totaled over 11 million dollars at that time.

The wildfires of 1947 were significant, as they were both destructive and deadly.

Take a look at the video above to learn more about this historic event.

You can also learn more from the Maine DACF.