WORKING WATERFRONT • September 28, 2026
The Pine Tree state might not be the first place one thinks of when discussing wildfires. But Maine Forest Service ranger and fuel reduction coordinator Kent Nelson said it would be a mistake to discount the threat here. “We’re the most heavily forested state per capita in the nation,” Nelson points out. “And 78% of Maine’s homes are in the wildland-urban interface, compared to the U.S. average of 32%. So with all that vegetation growing and structures in these wooded areas, we need to have regional fire plans and work together to try to reduce the risk of home ignition from a wildfire. But the state, and local fire departments, can’t do everything. There has to be some onus on the homeowner and it’s really not that hard. To keep your house safe from burning, just manage the vegetation within a hundred feet.”