amber@northstarreporter.com
A brush fire broke out on Kelley Boulevard on Saturday, Oct. 26, scorching between two and three acres and serving as a stark reminder of the heightened fire risks across Massachusetts this season.
Deputy Fire Chief Michael Chabot reported that although the exact cause of the blaze remains undetermined, an unattended fire pit was found nearby.
“In this dry season, all it takes is a cigarette,” Chabot cautioned, emphasizing the increased risk that even small flames can pose.
The fire is part of a larger trend across the state, with 47 active brush fires reported, including 18 that ignited in the past 24 hours, according to State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine. With conditions unusually dry for fall, local and state officials are urging residents to avoid outdoor fires and exercise extreme caution.
“The dry, sunny, breezy weather is great for recreation, but it also means that any outdoor fire will spread quickly and become very difficult to manage,” Davine said. “We’re seeing preventable fires growing to dangerous sizes and drawing numerous resources, locally and regionally.”
Typically, Massachusetts experiences dry seasons from spring to summer, but the extended drought over the past two months has left brush and forest areas highly susceptible to flames. Fire officials statewide are urging the public to be vigilant as conditions remain ideal for brush fires like the one that occurred on Kelley Boulevard.
Based on the preliminary causes of recent fires, fire officials are asking residents to:
• Remember that open burning is prohibited statewide through January and in many communities year-round.
• Refrain from outdoor cooking and heating. Sparks and embers from chimineas, fire pits, and grills can easily ignite dry vegetation, debris, and overhanging branches.
• Use caution with lawnmowers, leaf blowers, all-terrain vehicles, and other power equipment. The engines can become hot enough to ignite dry leaves and grass.
• Dispose of ashes from fireplaces and wood stoves in a metal can, douse them with water, and cover them with a tight-fitting lid. These ashes can remain hot enough to ignite combustibles long after the fire goes out: never dump them outdoors or in the trash.
• Extinguish smoking materials in a sturdy ashtray with water or sand. Never toss cigarette butts, matches, or other smoking materials over the edge of a balcony, stub them out on stairs or railings, or toss them in dry vegetation or debris.
