A wildfire burning in New Hampshire's White Mountain National Forest has grown to 856 acres and reached 20% containment as of Friday, November 7, with a Type 3 Incident Management Team of 140 personnel continuing suppression efforts in challenging terrain near the Maine border.
Fire Discovery and Growth
The Wild River Fire was first discovered on November 1, 2026, and reported by the U.S. Forest Service. The fire moved quickly in its early days — growing from 20 acres on November 1 to 285 acres by November 2, and reaching 856 acres by November 6. The fire is located approximately seven miles southeast of Gorham, New Hampshire, near Shelburne, in the Androscoggin Ranger District of the White Mountain National Forest.
Current fire behavior involves minimal creeping, smoldering, and running through hardwood leaf litter on the forest floor. The White Mountains in early November are well past peak fall foliage, with dry leaf litter on the ground serving as readily available surface fuel during dry periods.
Containment Efforts
Firefighters have made steady progress on containment lines, with crews holding and strengthening perimeter lines around the fire's most active edges. As of November 5, the U.S. Forest Service reported that additional resources had arrived to support containment efforts. A forest closure order is now in effect for the area surrounding the Wild River Fire, prohibiting public entry and maintaining safe access for firefighters and emergency personnel.
The 140-person Type 3 incident team is managing the response, with resources drawn from across the Eastern Area. A public meeting has been planned to inform area residents and stakeholders on the fire's status and management strategy.
November Fires: A Growing Concern
The Wild River Fire is a reminder that wildfire is no longer strictly a summer phenomenon in the eastern United States. Prolonged dry spells in autumn — combined with deciduous leaf litter that cures quickly during dry, breezy weather — have made fall fires an increasingly common occurrence in the Northeast. Fire managers in the Eastern Area have been coordinating resources to respond to multiple late-season incidents across the region.
Nationally, the NIFC situation report from November 6 noted 40 new fires reported in the Eastern Area over the previous reporting period — an unusually high late-season number. The Wild River Fire is the largest currently active wildfire in the Northeast.
Residents near the White Mountain National Forest are advised to avoid the closure area and monitor updates from the White Mountain National Forest at fs.usda.gov or through InciWeb.