Local News

Mass. still dealing with stubborn fires and drought; rain not expected for days

Temperatures reached record highs in Boston and Providence on Wednesday, and widespread rain is not expected until late Sunday night into Monday.

Georgetown firefighters battled several brush fires that spanned about 10 acres of Georgetown-Rowley State Forest, Tuesday evening and into Wednesday morning. Georgetown Fire Department

By Ross Cristantiello

November 7, 2024

3 minutes to read

Drought conditions persisted this week, as brush fires continued to burn across Massachusetts.

Large swaths of the North Shore, the Boston area, and Central Massachusetts are all experiencing severe drought conditions, according to a new report issued Thursday by the U.S. Drought Monitor. Moderate drought conditions were seen throughout the rest of the state, except for the southern parts of Bristol and Plymouth counties, as well as Cape Cod and the Islands. Even in those places, conditions are considered abnormally dry.

While Massachusetts regularly experiences some wildfires during this time of year, Gov. Maura Healey called the current fire season “unprecedented.”

Temperatures reached record highs in Boston and Providence on Wednesday, and widespread rain is not expected until late Sunday night into Monday, according to the National Weather Service. The entire state was placed under a Red Flag Warning Wednesday, as residents were told to avoid any outdoor burning or activities that may produce a spark. The Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts has recommended that all local fire chiefs deny any fire-related permit requests and prohibit any recreational fire activity.

“The number and nature of these incidents pose a grave risk to our personnel and the communities we serve. Beyond the direct hazard posed by an out-of-control wildland fire, every firefighter battling a preventable outdoor fire is a firefighter who cannot respond to an unrelated structure fire, motor vehicle crash, medical call, or other emergency,” Foxborough Fire Chief Michael Kelleher, president of the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts, said in a statement earlier this week.

Almost 500 acres have burned statewide, including significant fires in Salem, Lynn, Middleton, and Devens.

The fire near Middleton Pond was the largest. It was about 70% contained early this week, but firefighters are still battling tough conditions. Conditions on Wednesday produced frequent flare-ups and more smoke, which crews spent the day working to contain. The Massachusetts Army National Guard has been assisting various crews around the state by conducting water drops with helicopters. They performed 23 water drops in Middleton alone Wednesday, in the area just south of Old Hundred Lane. The helicopter being used experienced technical difficulties while refueling and the water drops were stopped for the day. Similar operations were planned for Thursday, according to local officials.

Another fire is burning in the Georgetown-Rowley State Forest. Officials there said Thursday morning that fire lines held overnight and the blaze did not grow in size. A larger operation was planned for Thursday with the goal of “strengthening the fire lines and attempting extinguishment on stubborn hot spots,” officials said.

Several brush fires had been extinguished in the forest Tuesday evening and into Wednesday morning. Four were identified and knocked down, but crews were called back to the area early Wednesday morning to find that “the fire had spread significantly overnight.” Officials estimated that the fires grew from one acre to 10 in a few hours.

About 45% of Massachusetts homes are in or near wooded areas, and state officials are warning residents to exercise extreme caution with any activity involving sparks, flames, or heat sources outside. Using fire pits and grills is discouraged, but people should also be aware of the potential for fires to start from lawnmowers, leaf blowers, all-terrain vehicles, and other power equipment.

Conditions have been ideal for fires over the past few weeks. All of New England is in the midst of its worst drought since 2022, and Boston just experienced its ninth driest October on record. Since mid-August, a “persistent high-pressure pattern” is to blame for deflecting or breaking down storms over the region, according to meteorologists with The Boston Globe.

Smoke from the fires has periodically worsened the air quality over the past few weeks in many Massachusetts communities. As of Thursday morning, air quality conditions were good except for in parts of Lynn, Salem, and Marblehead. Unusually sensitive people in these areas are being urged to decrease their time outdoors, according to the EPA’s AirNow platform.