The recent string of hot temperatures and dry conditions have provided multiple fuels for wildland fires to burn in Massachusetts.
The newest "priority" fire for state officials is the Breakheart Reservation Fire, which is a cluster of multiple fires burning near Saugus. The fire sits off of Route 1 and is roughly 35 acres but is anticipated to grow, according to Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Chief Fire Warden Dave Celino. He says some fire barriers aren’t holding because the fire is burning 15-20 inches into the ground.
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At 19 acres in size, the Briarwood Fire in Woodland Acres, near Rockport, Massachusetts, has been burning for 30 days. Celino says crews implemented a mop up grid to better get a perimeter around it. At one point, he says the fire threatened 35 structures downstream and the fire almost came out of containment. As of Friday, Celino says that fire is 100% contained.
Massachusetts is no stranger to wildland fires. The state has had 816 fires this year, totaling 1300 acres. Some have been substantially larger than others in the past year. According to Celino, most wildland fires in the US are less than 10 acres in size.
The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) is used to determine forest fire potential. This week, without rain Eastern Massachusetts’ KBDI value has been at a 600. Fire Chief Celino thinks the region is now at a KBDI value of 700, which is the top end of the scale.
