GREENFIELD, MA (FRANKLIN COUNTY NOW) — As red flag fire conditions persist, with multiple brush fires breaking out last week in Franklin County, many towns have extended their open air burn bans through at least Friday, November 15th for Warwick and indefinitely for the city of Greenfield.
The ongoing dry weather has led to drought declarations in much of the state, Franklin County being in a Moderate to Severe drought according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
From the City of Greenfield:
GREENFIELD OPEN AIR BURNING BAN
The outdoor fire ban issued on Tuesday, November 5 has been extended until further notice. This is due to the risk level of brush and wildfires remaining elevated across the state.
Any fires associated with fire pits, chimineas, outdoor fireplaces, and cooking and heating equipment that are notspecifically covered under 310 CMR 7.07, the Massachusetts Open Burning regulations, may not be used.
Firefighters in Massachusetts continue to battle brush fires across the state with officials urging residents to take precautions to help avoid sparking new fires. Hundreds of acres of land have burned across Massachusetts in just the last week. With continued dry conditions with unseasonably warm temperatures the risk level of brush and wildfires has reached a dangerous level.
With no precipitation, winds of 5 to 10 mph, fresh leaf litter, and direct sunlight on surface fuels, the outdoor fire risk remains very high today – and because about 45% of Massachusetts homes are in or near wooded areas, any of these fires could put people and property in danger. This is a time to exercise extreme caution with any activity involving sparks, flames, or heat sources outside.
The number of these fires, both locally and across the state, pose a great risk to our personnel and the community we serve.In addition to the direct hazard of fighting wildland fires, every preventable outdoor fire is a firefighter who cannot respond to an unrelated structure fire, motor vehicle accident, medical call, or other emergency.