Water Damage Restoration in Lynn, MA

Dozens of brush fires continued to burn across Massachusetts' North Shore and the rest of the state. Fire crews returned to active areas Tuesday to try to put the flames out.

Middleton's fire chief said that, as of Monday, more than 250 acres had burned in a wildfire that has spread to North Reading.

You could see the smoke over Middleton Pond on Tuesday morning, as multiple spots in the woods were still actively burning.

The flames in Middleton and elsewhere weren't endangering homes, but

And late Tuesday, the Department of Conservation and Recreation banned, for the time being, any open flame or charcoal fires at state parks, "in an effort to prevent wildland fires due to drought conditions," according to a statement.

The ban is effective immediately and will be in place until further notice, though small, portable propane grills could still be used in places where they're regularly permitted.

Hundreds of acres burning in Massachusetts

Firefighters were driving around monitoring the fires on Tuesday morning, and helicopters continued to attack flare-ups where possible.

The brush fire danger remains high on Tuesday, as dozens of fires continue to burn across Massachusetts. Follow NBC10 Boston: https://instagram.com/nbc10boston https://tiktok.com/@nbc10boston https://facebook.com/NBC10Boston https://twitter.com/NBC10Boston

Firefighters in Salem, Lynn and Peabody continued to battle a more than 130-acre wildfire.

Douglas LeColst, the fire chief in Middleton, said these fires are too big to extinguish at this point without some help from Mother Nature.

“We feel confident that the majority of it is contained, (but) it’s going to burn for days," he said. "You know, we’re not going to extinguish the fire. Our goal is just to contain it, which we feel pretty confident we’re heading in that right direction. So there’s going to be smoke in the area for a considerable amount of time until we get some good rainfall. That’s what we need.”

Brush fires were also reported in other New England states in recent days. The dry conditions contributed to dozens of fires in Maine over the weekend, including one large one in Buckfield that spanned five acres. And in Rhode Island, firefighters responded to a brush and boat fire in Johnston on Monday morning.

Why do I smell smoke in Greater Boston?

Obviously the smoke from these fires is affecting a lot of us.

All over the Boston area, you really can smell the smoke from those fires due to a weather phenomenon called inversion. That's when warm air traps cool air and smoke close to the ground, and that can be a concern for air quality because wildfire smoke has been shown to carry pollutants.

"Why you might want to be even more cautious on days where there's smoke present is because of that additional toxicity," said Jennifer Stowell, from the Boston University School of Public Health. "The biggest concern is for people who already have underlying conditions."

She said that may mean limiting outdoor activities if you have a respiratory condition like asthma, and at the very least staying tuned in to air quality conditions.

Because of the wind direction in Middleton and North Reading, the air quality index in the area is between 52 and 56, according to the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map, putting it as moderate, meaning people who are sensitive to smoke should limit exposure.

But the fire burning in Salem, Lynn and Peabody is a different story. There, the air quality is considered unhealthy, ranging between 130 and 189. That means everyone should take precautions by reducing outdoor activity.

In Salem, public schools are suspending outdoor activities, keeping recess, physical education, outdoor learning and sports indoors until further notice.

And in Saugus, which is downwind from both fires, the air quality is considered very unhealthy, at 220, where it's recommended everyone should limit or avoid outdoor physical activity.

“Air pollution in general can have both immediate and long-term effects, depends on the quantity of exposure and intensity," said Dr. Wynne Armand, as Mass General Brigham internist. "Also, some of the immediate effects on the milder side could be irritation of the throat or eyes, or even exacerbation of skin conditions like eczema, more of the serious symptoms can be difficulty breathing, coughing, chest pain, palpitations.”

Health experts say those with underlying health conditions, the very young and the very old should take extra precautions.

Brush fires continued to smolder in Salem, Peabody, Middleton, Lynnfield, North Reading and the Breakheart Reservation in Saugus on Monday.

Patch Staff

|Updated Mon, Oct 28, 2024 at 12:13 pm ET

Updated 11:45 a.m.

SALEM, MA — Several North Shore brush fires continued to smolder on Monday — sending smoke throughout eastern Massachusetts — as communities warned about the dangers of outdoor burning amid a long stretch of dry and windy weather.

Elevated fire risk conditions are expected to continue throughout the week with warming and windy conditions and only a slight chance of rainfall.

Salem crews and the National Guard on Sunday battled a blaze near Highland Avenue that Chief Alan Dionne said had spread to 130 acres at one point.

On Monday morning, the Lynnfield Fire Department reported heavy smoke coming from fires in Middleton that moved into North Reading and encompassed an estimated size of 50 acres.

Find out what's happening in Salemwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Due to ongoing active fire conditions, residents will continue to see and smell smoke throughout the day," Lynnfield fire said. "Please keep windows and doors closed to help prevent smoke from entering your home. Should you see active flames approaching your property/home, or if you or family members are respiratory compromised and are suffering any effects from the smoke, please call 911."

Salem school officials on Sunday night said they were monitoring the air quality in the city to determine whether students will be allowed to take part in outdoor activities.

"If conditions deteriorate, we will adjust our plan," school officials said. "Please also note, we will be consulting with our building nurses to determine whether there are vulnerable students who should refrain from outdoor activities."

Beverly fire officials said Sunday night that crews were dispatched to the area between Aubuchon Hardware and Wenham Lake for a "heavy, wind-driven fire threatening the Aubuchon block and advancing south.

Crews from Beverly, Danvers, Wenham, Gloucester, and DCR all worked for hours containing and extinguishing the fire.

Saugus officials reported a fire on Monday morning in the Breakheart Reservation near Lynn, which was the site of substantial brush fire damage during the drought two years ago.

Brisk winds served to carry the smoke for miles with the Brookline Fire Department advising residents to expect "the odor of smoke" on Sunday and Monday.

"We do not want you to be alarmed," Brookline fire said. "If you believe the odor is not related to those brush fires, please call 9-1-1 and the appropriate resources will be dispatched."

Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said late Monday morning that air quality was considered "unhealthy" in parts of Newton.

"People in Newton should take precautions by reducing outdoor time, taking more breaks, and doing less intense activities if outdoors," she said in a message to the community. "If you have asthma, monitor yourself carefully for symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, or difficulty breathing and have any quick-relief asthma medicine readily available."

Brush fires were also reported in Canton and Barre on Monday.

Temperatures were forecast to hold in the 50s on Monday and Tuesday before a dramatic warmup that will include a strong southwest wind and temperatures threatening the record of 80 degrees on Halloween.

Mostly dry conditions are expected to continue into the weekend while temperatures recede to more seasonable levels.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)

Dozens of brush fires continued to burn across Massachusetts' North Shore and the rest of the state. Fire crews returned to active areas Tuesday to try to put the flames out.

Middleton's fire chief said that, as of Monday, more than 250 acres had burned in a wildfire that has spread to North Reading.

You could see the smoke over Middleton Pond on Tuesday morning, as multiple spots in the woods were still actively burning.

The flames in Middleton and elsewhere weren't endangering homes, but

And late Tuesday, the Department of Conservation and Recreation banned, for the time being, any open flame or charcoal fires at state parks, "in an effort to prevent wildland fires due to drought conditions," according to a statement.

The ban is effective immediately and will be in place until further notice, though small, portable propane grills could still be used in places where they're regularly permitted.

Hundreds of acres burning in Massachusetts

Firefighters were driving around monitoring the fires on Tuesday morning, and helicopters continued to attack flare-ups where possible.

The brush fire danger remains high on Tuesday, as dozens of fires continue to burn across Massachusetts. Follow NBC10 Boston: https://instagram.com/nbc10boston https://tiktok.com/@nbc10boston https://facebook.com/NBC10Boston https://twitter.com/NBC10Boston

Firefighters in Salem, Lynn and Peabody continued to battle a more than 130-acre wildfire.

Douglas LeColst, the fire chief in Middleton, said these fires are too big to extinguish at this point without some help from Mother Nature.

“We feel confident that the majority of it is contained, (but) it’s going to burn for days," he said. "You know, we’re not going to extinguish the fire. Our goal is just to contain it, which we feel pretty confident we’re heading in that right direction. So there’s going to be smoke in the area for a considerable amount of time until we get some good rainfall. That’s what we need.”

Brush fires were also reported in other New England states in recent days. The dry conditions contributed to dozens of fires in Maine over the weekend, including one large one in Buckfield that spanned five acres. And in Rhode Island, firefighters responded to a brush and boat fire in Johnston on Monday morning.

Why do I smell smoke in Greater Boston?

Obviously the smoke from these fires is affecting a lot of us.

All over the Boston area, you really can smell the smoke from those fires due to a weather phenomenon called inversion. That's when warm air traps cool air and smoke close to the ground, and that can be a concern for air quality because wildfire smoke has been shown to carry pollutants.

"Why you might want to be even more cautious on days where there's smoke present is because of that additional toxicity," said Jennifer Stowell, from the Boston University School of Public Health. "The biggest concern is for people who already have underlying conditions."

She said that may mean limiting outdoor activities if you have a respiratory condition like asthma, and at the very least staying tuned in to air quality conditions.

Because of the wind direction in Middleton and North Reading, the air quality index in the area is between 52 and 56, according to the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map, putting it as moderate, meaning people who are sensitive to smoke should limit exposure.

But the fire burning in Salem, Lynn and Peabody is a different story. There, the air quality is considered unhealthy, ranging between 130 and 189. That means everyone should take precautions by reducing outdoor activity.

In Salem, public schools are suspending outdoor activities, keeping recess, physical education, outdoor learning and sports indoors until further notice.

And in Saugus, which is downwind from both fires, the air quality is considered very unhealthy, at 220, where it's recommended everyone should limit or avoid outdoor physical activity.

“Air pollution in general can have both immediate and long-term effects, depends on the quantity of exposure and intensity," said Dr. Wynne Armand, as Mass General Brigham internist. "Also, some of the immediate effects on the milder side could be irritation of the throat or eyes, or even exacerbation of skin conditions like eczema, more of the serious symptoms can be difficulty breathing, coughing, chest pain, palpitations.”

Health experts say those with underlying health conditions, the very young and the very old should take extra precautions.

SALEM - Firefighters were on the scene in Salem, Massachusetts Sunday as several brush fires burned through dozens of acres and coming close to some homes.

More than 100 acres

"It's a lot of acreage and getting to it is the hardest part," said Salem Fire Chief Alan Dionne. He said the fire department started getting calls about the brush fires shortly after 7 p.m. on Saturday.

"We have four different fires that are kind of surrounding the neighborhoods in this area and Lynn has some over on their side. It's covered about 100 acres and it's still burning freely," said Dionne.

Dionne said the fires are tough to fight because the terrain between Salem, Peabody and Lynn is very secluded and rocky.

"The flames were pretty high"

Residents who live at the Highland Condominium Complex were concerned they may have to evacuate as several brush fires popped up behind their homes.

"The flames were pretty high," said Joe Aloisi. "I've been here over 20 years and this is the first time that it almost came up to the lawn in our backyard."

At a nearby Walmart, shoppers covered their faces from the smoke. The brush fires are nowhere near Salem's downtown area and are not impacting the Haunted Happenings events just days from Halloween.

"We can smell it from pretty far away," said Nancy Tebow. "I have a breathing problem as it is, so I really should have a mask on."

Using drone technology, firefighters are able to identify heavy burn areas. The National Guard has also been called in to help with airdrops.

"They really can't put any water on them, so it's just hard work with shovels and then rakes," said Dionne. "When it smolders overnight and then it gets fresh air and breeze in the morning and especially if there's a wind change then it could flare up again."

"I have asthma so it's been pretty difficult," said Jeff Black. "I hope it's over soon and they can get control of it."

No one has been hurt and no structural damage has been reported. Firefighters said residents can expect the smoke to continue overnight.

Paul Burton

Paul Burton is a general assignment reporter for WBZ-TV News.

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A large brush fire is burning in Salem and Lynn, Massachusetts, Sunday morning, after sparking visible fire in the woods late Saturday.

There is no immediate need for any evacuations, Fire Chief Alan Dionne said Sunday, but he didn't anticipate the fire being put out anytime soon.

The fire was burning off Highland Avenue, behind a Walmart store. Flames could be seen in the woods, and it sent smoke into the area.

"The brushfire has been smoldering for the past day creating smoky conditions in the surrounding area," the city said Sunday morning.

The fire comes as thousands of visitors flock to the city every day for Halloween festivities.

The fire was burning off Highland Avenue. Flames could be seen in the woods, and it sent smoke into the area.

The flames seemed to be concentrated in a wooded area between Highland Avenue and Spring Pond, near the Lynn city line.

"The fire's been burning over my shoulder here but not just in this one area, we have four different fires that are surrounding the neighborhoods in this area and Lynn has some on their side," Dionne said. "Presently, state forestry has two units up here, we have four pump companies and an aerial ladder company, we’re deploying a drone shortly to figure out what areas exactly are involved."

Dionne said there have not been any evacuations as of yet and if they can stay ahead of the fire there will not be any.

"I don’t anticipate this fires going out anytime soon. We do have it somewhat contained, there are not a lot of structures in the area so hopefully there is nothing threatened. At this time we’ve probably already burned 60 to 80 acres," Dionne added.

Flames were near homes in a condo development along Olde Village Drive, leaving residents there on edge as they waited for firefighters to come and extinguish the fire.

Massachusetts has been under a red flag warning for a high fire danger, with the state's Department of Fire Services noting that the critical fire conditions meant, "Any fires that start may spread rapidly and become difficult to extinguish."