If you've been surprised at how many brush fires have erupted in Massachusetts in the last few weeks, making much of the Boston area smell like smoke, there's good reason for it.
There were 196 brush fires reported in the state this October, more than 10 times as many as the monthly average, which is 15, according to the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services.
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Put another way, the brushfire rate was up 1,207% in October. The month accounted for more than a quarter of all brush fires so far this year, and more than half of the total acreage burned by outdoor fires this year, Chief Fire Warden David Celino said Friday, the 1st of November.
"The weather conditions and dry surface fuels that have contributed to these fast-moving fires are expected to continue in the days ahead. Any outdoor fire will grow quickly, become difficult to control, and require numerous firefighting resources," Celino said in a statement, which noted that a red flag warning was in place for Massachusetts Friday.
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Statistics released by the Department of Fire Services show that April is usually the month with the most brush and wildland fires, but this October had four more than this April. September 2024 was also above average, with 81 outdoor fires compared to the usual 46.
State Fire Marshal Jon Davine noted that nearly half of all homes in Massachusetts are in or close to woods that are at risk for brush fires.
"In the current fire weather environment, any significant fire could put people and property in danger. In fact, many of them have started with activity around the house, like outdoor cooking and using lawn tractors and other power equipment," he said in a statement.
Here are the significant brush and wildland fires still active as of Thursday evening, according to a release from the Department of Fire Services:
- Cain Hill Fire in Salem/Lynn: currently at 140 acres and 50% contained
- Middleton Pond Fire in Middleton: 188 acres and 70% contained
- Pappas Fire in Canton: 32 acres and 90% contained
- Wolcott Hill / Blue Hills Reservation: 2 acres and 100% contained
- Curry 24 Fire in Devens: 100 acres and 99% contained
- Maple Meadow Fire in Wilmington: 10 acres and 70% contained
- Mt. Laurel Fire in Holden: 6 acres and 95% contained
- Trader’s Way Fire in Salem: 15 acres and 50% contained
- Old Forest Road Fire in North Andover: 5 acres and 30% contained
