Two fires broke out in Windham at the end of last week: one, a forest fire off Route 115 on Thursday, June 16, and another on Saturday, June 18, at a group home near Route 202.

According to Fire Chief Brent Libby, the fires were unrelated and the ground is “not particularly dry.”

Fire danger is not especially high, Libby said, and although “we certainly need rain, things are green and not as dangerous as in spring.”

The Maine Forest Service is conducting an investigation into the cause of the woods fire, Libby said. Such fires are often caused by “somebody’s permitted or unpermitted burn that gets out of control,” he said.

When the crew arrived at 368 Tandberg Trail shortly after 7:30 p.m., the woods fire covered at least 2 acres and spreading, according to Libby. Forty firefighters from seven towns contained the fire to roughly 4 acres.

Libby said that while forest fires are not entirely uncommon, “usually they’re smaller, approximately an acre or so.”

The darkness and forest terrain made night operations unsafe, Libby said, but crews remained on the site Thursday night to put out hot spots. The fire was extinguished at around 4 p.m. Friday, Libby said.

Throughout the weekend crews continued to check on the site, Libby said, but found no more hot spots.

The fire at the group home “was isolated to the back porch” Libby said, “but there’s too much damage to say definitely what caused it.”

The Windham Fire Department was called to the group home at approximately 9:45 a.m. Saturday. The two residents and one caretaker made it out safely, Libby said. It took 40 minutes to control the fire.

The group home, located at 5 Beaulieu Drive and operated by Granite Bay Care, is a total loss, Libby said.

North Windham’s fire station