Fire danger is high in the entire state, according to the Maine Forest Service, and the state is not issuing online burn permits.
Officials said unusually dry and windy conditions lead to a wildfire on Gay Island Friday, when someone burned debris without a permit. It took the Cushing, Thomaston and Friendship fire departments several hours to contain the blaze.
Kent Nelson, a Forest Ranger Specialist with the Maine Forest Service, said wildfire activity is above average this fall.
"We compared the number of fires that we have had in Maine for the month of October and the first week of November and we are ten times the five-year average," Nelson said.
Fortunately, Nelson says most of the fires have been relatively small and local fire departments can handle them.
Ben Harris, Deputy Chief of the Goodwins Mills Fire Department in Lyman said he is asking residents not to burn leaves amid the dry conditions, and said he is not issuing burn permits.
"In Maine in organized territories you do not need to get a burn permit for any fire smaller than three feet. But we're asking people not to do that right now in high fire danger areas of the state," Harris said.
Harris says despite dry conditions Lyman's water table is okay and only one hydrant is dry, but firefighters can draft from nearby ponds if needed.
The forecast calls for showers Sunday night and Monday, which could provide some relief to dry conditions.