Officials investigating wildland fire at Charles Deam Wilderness

Officials are investigating the cause of a fire at Charles C. Deam Wilderness. 

Fire authorities were called to Deam Monday evening and Tuesday morning to respond to reports of a fire, according to Marion Mason, public affairs specialist for Hoosier National Forest.  

Mason said the fire was out by the time authorities arrived Tuesday morning, thanks to increased humidity overnight. 

“The suspected cause at this point is potentially an unattended campfire,” said Mason. “We do have a fire investigator coming today to do more detailed investigation.”

Preliminary estimates put the fire’s impact at about 10 acres, near part of the Grubb Ridge Trail, between the Peninsula and Axsom Branch trails. Grubb Ridge Trail was closed Tuesday as crews cleared trees that might have been made unsafe by the blaze. The trail has reopened.

“Fire, overall, is a natural part of the landscape – we do prescribed burns for specific purposes,” Mason said. “Obviously, wildfires are not within that same realm.” 

Officials will conduct two controlled burns at Hoosier National Forest Wednesday.