Salem Public Schools canceled all outdoor activities Tuesday as several brush fires in the Merrimack Valley and North Shore worked to contain them. A new brush fire near Traders Way is causing significant smoke in the area. “We are monitoring the air. As a result of the quality and conditions, outdoor activities have been advised to be suspended until further notice, and recess, physical education, outdoor learning and sports activities will be moved indoors,” the district posted on Facebook. Students were dismissed from school early. According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality Index fire and smoke map, fires are one of many factors that create unhealthy air conditions. A fire near Spring Pond in Salem burned 130 acres Saturday evening, Allen said. Chief Dionne of the Salem Fire Department. Air National Guard helicopters continue to use water drops to fight the fire, which is burning in Salem and Lynn and Middleton Pond. The Air National Guard was doing aerial water drops on Monday, but that has ended. Info: Check air quality by zip code “We did it yesterday and it didn’t work as well as we hoped, so we decided. Stop it today,” said Middleton Fire Chief Douglas Legholt. “One of the problems was the leaves. The water would fall and hit the leaves, and the leaves would fall to the ground and act as fuel.” Video: Why the City Stopped Water Drips Homeowner Tina Wedge and her family remember being on high alert when their house caught fire and firefighters were stationed in the driveway. You’d never think,” Wedge said. 18 active fires have been reported across the state in the past 24 hours, Sky 5 said in a report on Monday night. One in Saugus was engulfed in fierce flames at the Cedar Glen Golf Course, and another in Boxford, where flames burned outward in a circle until crews extinguished it. The stench from the fire traveled dozens of miles from its origin, with police warning residents of the stench as far away as Needham. Statewide weather conditions put all Massachusetts communities at risk for brush fires. State fire officials said dry leaves, dead vegetation and other fuels are ideal for ignition.” Dry, sunny, breezy weather is great for recreation, but outdoor fires can spread quickly and become more difficult to manage. State Fire Marshal John Davin said. “Stopable fires can grow to dangerous proportions. We’re seeing that coming in and attracting a lot of resources locally and regionally.” Fire officials reminded residents that open burning is prohibited year-round in January and in many communities. They urged residents to avoid outdoor cooking and heating, and to use caution when using power tools such as lawn mowers and leaf blowers. Engines can get hot enough to burn dry leaves and grass.The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Salem Public Schools canceled all outdoor activities Tuesday as firefighters battled several brush fires in the Merrimack Valley and North Shore.
A new brush fire near Traders Way is causing significant smoke in the area.
“We are monitoring air quality and have been advised to suspend outdoor activities as a result of the conditions. Until further notice, recess, physical education, outdoor learning and sports activities will be moved indoors,” the district posted on Facebook.
Salem High School students were dismissed from school early as smoke levels increased.
Fire is one of the many causes of unhealthy air conditions Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality Index Fire and Smoke Map.
A fire near Spring Pond in Salem burned 130 acres Saturday evening, Salem Fire Chief Alan Dion said.
Air National Guard helicopters continued to deliver water drops to fight the fires burning in Salem and Lynn.
Middleton fire crews are working to extinguish the fire in the area between Upton Hills Lane and Middleton Pond. The Air National Guard was doing aerial water drops on Monday, but that has come to an end.
Information: Check air quality by ZIP code
“We did it yesterday and it didn’t work as well as we hoped, so we decided to stop it today,” Middleton Fire Chief Douglas Legholt said. “One of the problems was the leaves. The water would fall and hit the leaves, and the leaves would fall to the ground and act as fuel.”
Video: Why the city stopped dripping water
Homeowner Tina Wedge and her family remember firefighters standing in the driveway when their home was dangerously engulfed in flames.
“It’s kind of crazy … you think like California … you’d never think of it here in Massachusetts,” Wedge said.
In the last 24 hours, 18 active fires were reported across the state, the state fire services department said in a statement on Monday.
On Monday night, Sky 5 saw two other fires – one in Saugus with heavy flames burning at Cedar Glen Golf Course, and another in Boxford, which burned in a circle outwards until crews put it out.
The stench from the fire traveled dozens of miles from its origin, with police warning of the smell as far away as Needham.
Statewide weather conditions put all Massachusetts communities at risk for brush fires. State fire officials say dry leaves, dead plants and other fuels are more susceptible to ignition.
“Dry, sunny, breezy weather is great for entertaining, but outdoor fires can spread quickly and become more difficult to manage,” said State Fire Marshal John Davin. “We’re seeing preventable fires grow to dangerous proportions and take a lot of resources both locally and regionally.”
Fire officials reminded residents that year-round open burning is prohibited throughout the state and in many communities until January. They urged residents to avoid outdoor cooking and heating, and to use caution when using power tools such as lawn mowers and leaf blowers. Engines can get hot enough to ignite dry leaves and grass.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
