Don’t ever turn your back on it. In just minutes, a change in wind might send a wildfire in a new direction that can take your property and your life.

The people of drought-stricken Texas, as well as other western states, are all too familiar with the devastation brought by wildfire, but Maine faced similar terror in 1947 when woods fires devastated vast areas of the state.

Lewiston and Auburn were spared a direct hit in that tragic October 1947 fire. It was Western Maine and Bar Harbor where people suffered most.

Nevertheless, the residents of the Twin Cities anxiously watched the relentless advance of the fires, and there was no doubt that the tinderbox conditions all around could ignite at any time.

That fateful week’s news stories reflected the communities’ close call with disaster.

“FIRE THREATENS AUBURN” was the banner headline in large letters across page one of the Lewiston Evening Journal on Oct. 23, 1947.

“A fire starting in the city dump in Auburn at 2:10 p.m. this afternoon swept through a pine grove and heading in south toward farm houses in the Upper Turner Street area at 3 o’clock today,” the story said.

Residents of the neighborhood were wetting down their homes as volunteers pitched in to help firemen of both Lewiston and Auburn at the scene.

“About 300 pine trees were blazing fiercely at press time, as firemen sent for more help.”

Lewiston had its own scares that day. A brush fire near Crowley’s Junction was knocked down after a one-hour battle, and a Lewiston blaze also sparked at that city’s dump almost jumped River Road into a wooded area.

That was the situation on one particular day with several local woods fires not unlike many that occurred then and to the present. There had been no rain for the previous 108 days and many fires throughout the state were burning out of control.

As firemen fought to contain the Auburn and Lewiston blazes, many other homes in towns not far from the Twin Cities were threatened.

Another Lewiston Evening Journal headline just below the Auburn fire news said “Gale-Like Winds Whip Maine Fires Into Action.” Fire raged in the East Livermore-Fayette-Wayne area, and the wind was an added hazard. At Fayette, nearly a dozen homes were in danger and four families were moving their belongings out as fires advanced. The report of that blaze said, “A backfire was started in front of the Alden Pratt residence on the road between the ruined East Livermore campgrounds and Pike’s Corner.”

The report said, “Wallace French and Elton Harmon have manned French’s water pumper stationed at the brook near the homes of Dana Tripp and Earle Webster since Tuesday (two days earlier).”

That same day, fire also took its toll in Portland when the Maine State Pier suffered $700,000 worth of damage and the entire Portland waterfront was endangered.

Those few days became known as “The Week Maine Burned.” It’s hard to imagine the fear that must have gripped every family throughout Maine when the news seemed to get worse and worse over the course of 10 days. Finally, the weather changed in favor of the firefighters. Some rain fell, and the relentless flames of about 50 separate fires were halted. In all, 175,000 acres of Maine were scorched by wildfire. The death toll was 16, and about 10,000 people required some kind of first aid for injuries. The property loss was estimated at $70 million and 2,500 people were homeless.

The Twin Cities were spared the destruction at Bar Harbor where many people were forced to flee by sea, and at Brownfield where the entire town was wiped out.

Today, in mid-September, grass in the fields and leaves on the trees are still green, but autumn is coming when dry leaves will become potential tinder for fires. The calamity of 1947 brought improved forest fire detection and prevention methods. Firefighting equipment and communication capabilities are much improved. Nevertheless, dangers persist whenever the woods become dry, and there are many members of the older generation who recall the dread of those October days when Maine burned.

Dave Sargent is a freelance writer and a native of Auburn. He may be reached by sending email to [email protected].