Gorham, New Hampshire: Wild River Fire Reaches 982 Acres, the Largest in White Mountain National Forest History

A wildfire burning in a remote part of the White Mountain National Forest near Gorham, New Hampshire, reached 982 acres on Wednesday, November 4, and was 11 percent contained, according to the latest federal incident listing on InciWeb. Reports on Wednesday morning put the Wild River Fire at close to 1,000 acres, up from about 378 acres on Tuesday.

U.S. Forest Service spokesperson Jessie Dubuque told New Hampshire Public Radio the fire is the largest on the White Mountain National Forest since the forest was incorporated. "For a fire of this size on the White Mountain National Forest, it is very uncommon," Dubuque said.

A remote fire, hard to reach

The fire is burning about a mile into the national forest, just west of the Maine state line and south of U.S. Route 2, about seven miles southeast of Gorham along the Wild River. The country is steep and rugged. A Forest Service road damaged three years ago has slowed access, and Dubuque said firefighters have had to cross the Wild River on foot to reach the fire.

More than 50 Forest Service personnel were working the fire on Wednesday, with two helicopters and a drone. The fire grew mostly along its north and west edges, burning through timber, snags and leaf litter. Drought has left the woods dry, and Dubuque said dried leaf litter, deadfall wood and spruce and fir are feeding the flames.

Four days of growth

The fire was first reported on Sunday, November 1, and crews responded at about 1 p.m. By Monday it was reported at about 300 acres, and officials put it at about 378 acres on Tuesday. Gorham Fire Chief Philip Cloutier said smoke made the town hazy on Tuesday and people could smell the fire. By Wednesday morning the smell was gone in Gorham.

Cloutier said there are no known homes in the fire area, and his department has not been asked to help. The response is being run by the federal government. The Forest Service said there is no significant threat to private property or to public safety, and no evacuations have been ordered. Cloutier said a fire of this size is rare in the area. "The largest wildfire that we can remember was just under 100 acres, and that was over 20 years ago," he said.

Area closed through the New Year

On Wednesday the Forest Service signed a public safety closure order, number R9-22-26-08, for the fire area in the Androscoggin Ranger District. The order closes the described area and all of Wild River Road, Forest Road 12. It runs from November 4, 2026 through January 1, 2027, unless the Forest Service ends it sooner. Officials asked people to stay out of the fire area so crews and emergency vehicles can get through, and to keep personal drones on the ground near the fire. Drivers who meet smoke on the road are told to slow down and turn on their headlights.

Cause under investigation

The Forest Service is investigating what started the fire. Dubuque said it is currently believed to be human caused. No structures have been reported lost and no injuries have been reported. Crews expect to keep working the fire from the ground and the air while the closure stays in place.