Authorities are now investigating the fire and the phonebook pile. The woods, the approximate perimeter of which is Route 40, Dusenberry and Speigletown roads, are a popular party spot for teenagers, said Speigletown Fire Chief Mike Shanahan.
"The only thing that I can speculate is that (the phone books) were used to fuel some type of campfire," he said, noting that State Police broke up a party there Saturday night. "Whether the fire was left Saturday night, just smoldered and took off Sunday, I would assume that's a good possibility."
The state Department of Environmental Conservation is also investigating into the case.
"It definitely is illegal to dump the phonebooks in the woods like that," said DEC spokesman Rick Georgeson. "It's all speculation at this point until the investigation is complete and the charges are filed."
The fire was quickly extinguished, and the investigation moves to who dumped the phone books.
Whoever is responsible could possibly be charged with illegal disposal of waste, he said. The DEC is also looking into the circumstances surrounding the fire.
"That's part of the investigation too," said Georgeson. "If it's an illegal fire, there could be arson charges, but at this point, though, we don't have any final evidence to make a determination."
It is unclear whether the same person that dumped the books is responsible for the blaze.
The phone books were relatively new, including a full recently unwrapped palette, said Shanahan. Authorities received unconfirmed reports that a white Dodge Ram pickup truck drove into the woods carrying a palette of phone books.
"My concern was not only the illegal dumping," said Shanahan, "but somebody to got paid, I assume, to deliver these."