PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 25, 2025
Who is paying for firefighters to rescue or recover lost hikers on mountains in unorganized territories in Maine? Weld Fire Rescue Chief Corey Hutchinson says in his area the money is coming out of his department’s budget and that concerns him. Each call totals on average about $1,200 to $1,300. The Weld department has responded six times just since June 8 to help hikers who have either been hurt or lost on Tumbledown Mountain in Township 6, north of Weld, and one on Little Jackson Mountain, which connects to Tumbledown via trails. One of those search and rescue missions turned into a recovery after the hiker died from medical issues while up there. The state has an estimated 70,000 hikers annually. It is heavily advertised by tourism groups and some people are not prepared for the hikes.