Photo: WBZ NewsRadio
Lynn, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Rain finally brings some relief to brushfires on the North Shore.
The National Weather Service has issued several Red Flag Warnings for Massachusetts over the last month, as firefighters work to contain brushfires. With very little rainfall during October, Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Rebecca Tepper declared a Level 3 – Critical Drought for the entirety of the North Shore.
In Lynn, Mass., a brushfire at Mount Gilead was 0 percent contained as of Sunday and had already burned at least 309 acres. However, another brushfire at Cain Hill was about 60 percent contained on Sunday with over 140 acres already burned.
“It’s rough on us older folks who have lung problems,” said one Lynn resident.
Drought-induced fires can be difficult to contain because they also burn underground, so anything from falling leaves to discarded cigarettes can ignite the fire back on the surface. In a statement, the Department of Fire Services (DFS) called the brush fires “preventable.”
“They’re starting with people burning yard waste, outdoor cooking and heating, hot engines and gasoline from lawn tractors and other power equipment, careless disposal of smoking materials, and other human activity,” said DFS in a statement.
Many Lynn residents are hoping for more rain to get rid of the smoke and the smell.
“[It’s] the same old thing. It was really smokey yesterday,” said one man. “I think the rain will help.”
“It’s [only] outside. Once you go in your house or your apartment, you can’t smell it,” said one woman.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Jay Willett (@JayWillettWBZ) reports.
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