SALE – Brush burns Salem and other parts of northeastern Massachusetts continued to burn Monday morning, with smoke detected as far south as Boston.
In Salem, more than 100 acres burned in the wildfires that started Saturday. The fires spread as tourists gather in Salem for downtown Halloween events.
The fires didn’t impact the festivities in any way, but drifting smoke from the North Shore could be smelled from miles away.
CBS Boston
“Throughout the night and early this morning, fire companies in our area responded to several “smoke odor” calls due to smoke from the wildfires in the North Shore area, Salem, Saugus, Lynn, Peabody, etc.” the Cambridge Fire Department tweeted Monday morning. Cambridge is located about 23 miles south of Salem.
Salem, Peabody and Lynn start a fire
Salem Fire Chief Alan Dionne said the flames are very difficult to extinguish because the terrain between Salem, Peabody and Lynn is very remote and rocky.
Several local and government agencies are now using water droplets and helicopter drones to identify areas of severe burns and extinguish the flames.
“It’s a large acreage and getting to it is the hardest part,” Dionne told WBZ-TV on Sunday. “It’s just one of those fires that will smolder for a long time. And if it smolders at night and then gets fresh air and a breeze in the morning, and especially if the wind changes, then it can flare up again.”
Middleton brush fires
No one was injured and there are no reports of homes or businesses being damaged by the fires, which are also a problem in Middleton, about 10 miles northwest of Salem.
“Both incidents will require sustained, heavily engaged, multi-agency operations to bring under control,” Northeast Massachusetts Emergency Alerts said in a statement on Facebook.
Wildfires were reported as far south as Rehoboth on Sunday. A firefighter there was taken to the hospital due to the heat, but he is expected to be OK, according to WPRI-TV.
