Roughly 300-acre wildfire burning just over Maine border in New Hampshire

Wildfire Sweeps 300 Acres of White Mountain National Forest in Coos County

A wildfire that began in the early hours of Sunday has grown to roughly 300 acres in the White Mountain National Forest near Gorham, New Hampshire, and is still actively burning as of Monday afternoon. The U.S. Forest Service, which manages the national forest, confirmed that the blaze is consuming timber, snags and leaf litter along the northwest side of the Wild River, west of Mount Hastings near the Maine border.

The first responders arrived at the scene around 1 p.m. Sunday, according to a Facebook post by the Forest Service’s White Mountain office. Over 40 personnel have been dispatched to the fire, but crews are contending with steep, rugged terrain that hampers access and containment efforts.

Despite the rapid spread, the Forest Service said the fire posed no “significant threats to life or property” as of Monday afternoon. AirNow’s Fire and Smoke Map, which is compiled jointly by the Forest Service and the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection, indicated that smoke impacts were limited to the immediate vicinity of the blaze with no broader regional effects.

The cause of the fire remains unknown, with investigators still looking into potential ignition sources. Terri Teller, a fire prevention specialist and ranger with the Maine Forest Service, noted in an email that the state agency had not provided assistance. The U.S. Forest Service manages the portion of the national forest that extends into Maine, but the current incident is located entirely within New Hampshire.

Fire‑danger conditions were high in southern Maine on Monday, a level that has persisted across the state for the past week. This heightened risk is compounded by dry weather conditions that favor wildfire ignition and spread.

As crews continue to battle the flames, the Forest Service remains monitoring the situation closely and has issued no additional advisories at this time.