BOSTON — Firefighters in Massachusetts continue fight against persistent forest fires across the state, with officials urging residents to take precautions to prevent new fires from starting.
Hundreds of hectares (acres) in the Boston area have already burned over the past week, while new fires have emerged in the western and central parts of the state.
An average of fifteen wildfires are reported in Massachusetts each October. This year, the monthly total came to about 200 – an increase of about 1,200% over average, similar to the monthly numbers typically seen in the traditional early spring wildfire season.
According to fire officials, around 100 fires have been reported in the last seven days of the month and preliminary information suggests that all of these were started by human activity. The fires devastated some communities last week to cancel school classes and Halloween activities.
On Friday, the National Weather Service issued a “red flag” warning for much of eastern Massachusetts. The warning means that the region, which is experiencing dry and hot weather, is at high risk of fire.
Fire officials have reminded residents that open burning is prohibited statewide through January and year-round in many communities.
They also urged residents to avoid outdoor cooking and heating and to exercise caution when using electrical equipment such as lawn mowers and leaf blowers. The engines can get hot enough to ignite dry leaves and grass.
Fire officials also warned against throwing cigarette butts, matches or other smoking materials over the edge of a balcony, emitting them on stairs or railings, or throwing them into dry vegetation or debris.
A Boston man was arrested Saturday in connection with a wildfire in Milford, about 40 miles west of Boston. The man was accused of setting fire to other people’s land and burning land, trees, timber and produce.
More than a quarter of this year’s wildfires and wildfires occurred in October, according to Chief Fire Marshal David Celino of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. October’s fires are also responsible for more than half of the 469 hectares burned so far this year.
“The weather conditions and dry surface fuels that have contributed to these rapidly progressing fires are expected to continue in the coming days,” Celino said in a news release. “Any outdoor fire will grow quickly, become difficult to contain and require numerous fire resources.”
State Fire Marshal Jon Davine said about 45% of homes in Massachusetts are in or near wooded areas at risk for brush and wildfires. Many of these fires have been started by activity around the home, such as outdoor cooking and the use of riding mowers and other electrical equipment, he added.