By JULIE CUNNINGHAM

(Shelburne, MA) The Shelburne Fire Department along with Colrain and Buckland battled a brush fire Sunday night in the area of Route 112 on Main Street, north of Shelburne Falls. The strong wind is believed to have stirred up a deep bed of hot coals left over from a brush pile from several days ago. Dry leaves and downed trees from the wind helped create an active fire of about half an acre. The steep terrain was difficult for fire fighters to navigate and required use of four wheel drive brush trucks, hand tools, and significant amounts of personnel to extinguish the fire. Anyone burning an open, outside fire is asked to use extreme caution due to low humidity and recent high winds. The Charlemont Fire Department provided station coverage during the fire.