Brush fires scorch hundreds of acres in Massachusetts amid red flag warnings
SAUGUS - Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation firefighters have been battling hundreds of acres worth of brush fires in recent days.
On Friday, four different fires broke out in the Lynn Woods Reservation, impacting a total of 212 acres.
Monday, firefighters tackled a 22-acre blaze at Breakheart Reservation in Saugus.
"Right now, they are using water and hand tools to help put out the fire around the edge and working, we call it mopping up, you start putting out any hotspots," said DCR Fire Program Coordinator Alex Belote.
Fire officials say the combination of high winds and low humidity have fueled the flames. Both the Lynn Woods and Breakheart fires are 60% to 70% contained, but that could change.
"With these high winds and really dry conditions, any heat on the inside has the potential to pick up an ember and throw it out of the unit," Belote said.
Belote says Massachusetts has already experienced 677 fires this year, covering over a thousand acres statewide.