It may be cold right now, but the Halloween forecast is looking great!
Follow NBC10 Boston:
https://instagram.com/nbc10boston
https://tiktok.com/@nbc10boston
https://facebook.com/NBC10Boston
https://twitter.com/NBC10Boston
Many people in the Greater Boston area woke up to the smell of smoke - and a brush fire on the North Shore is likely to blame.
More than 80 acres are burning in Salem. Monday morning there were reports of a smoky smell and haze in the Boston area.
WATCH ANYTIME FOR FREE
 |
Stream NBC10 Boston news for free, 24/7, wherever you are. |
Neighbors on the North Shore may expect impacts from the fire. But what's causing the strong smell to travel so far?
Get updates on what's happening in Boston to your inbox. Sign up for our News Headlines newsletter.
According to the NBC10 Boston First Alert meteorologists, an inversion formed in the atmosphere overnight and trapped the smoke near the ground. This effectively seals the smoke at the lowest levels of the atmosphere where it can seep into nearby towns and cities.
Other smaller fires, including one reported around 3 a.m. in Stoughton, may also be contributing to the smell and residual smoke. Poor air quality is to be expected around any of these fires.
Air quality may be unhealthy for sensitive groups in some areas, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality Index Fire and Smoke Map. Those groups are advised to limit outdoor activities.
Other blazes were reported over the weekend as conditions remain dry, including in Millbury, where a woman died at an encampment, Middleton, Canton and Beverly. In Connecticut, crews continue to fight a massive blaze known as the Hawthorne fire. Fire risk remains elevated across much of New England.
A breeze should clear up the smell Monday, but it could return later tonight.
