Crews contain eight-acre forest fire near Georgetown General Store

Smoke near the Georgetown General Store at 769 Five Islands Rd. drew crews into one of Georgetown’s most familiar landmarks and turned a wooded fire into a road-level emergency. Dispatchers received the report around 1:41 p.m. Friday, and officials said the blaze spread across about eight acres off Five Islands Road before crews contained it.

Multiple crews responded at the scene, and Georgetown officials urged people to avoid the area because heavy emergency vehicle traffic was clogging the road. The fire’s location mattered as much as its size: the store sits on a corridor locals and summer visitors use for directions, errands, and a quick stop on the way to the islands, so even a relatively small wildfire could affect access, business, and traffic in a part of town that sees regular seasonal movement.

The wooded stretch off Five Islands Road also raised the usual risks that come with a roadside fire in a coastal community. Smoke can cut visibility for drivers, and a fire close to a business corridor can force firefighters to split attention between containing flames and protecting nearby structures. In Georgetown, where the general store serves as a recognizable meeting point, even a brief disruption can ripple beyond the fire line to customers, employees, and anyone trying to pass through.

The fire unfolded during a summer stretch when Maine crews have faced repeated wildfire pressure. The Maine Forest Service logged 89 fires and more than 40 acres burned in August during a hot, dry period, and another wildfire incident burned more than 100 acres in 24 hours in a separate part of the state. The governor’s office has warned that wildfire smoke is unhealthy to breathe and can be especially dangerous for children, older adults, pregnant people, and people with heart or respiratory conditions.

The Georgetown Volunteer Fire Department says residents should dial 911 in an emergency, and burn permits are handled through the Maine Forest Service. In a town where one well-known store can anchor an entire stretch of road, the fire served as a reminder of how quickly a patch of woods can become a public safety problem with direct consequences for daily life.