State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey said, “Early spring is often when firefighters in New England are busy fighting brush fires. As the season changes, the winds can be strong and unpredictable.” He added, “Please conduct open burning safely and watch the wind. Have a permit and to be ready to shut it down quickly if the weather changes.”
Drought Last Summer Led to Many Brush Fires
Early spring is usually a busy time for brush fires as people rush to conduct open burning before the season ends on May 1. It is also a windy time of the year as the weather pattern changes. The snow pack has melted, but the ground is only just starting to green up and there is plenty of dry vegetation and leaves from last year to serve as tinder. Low humidity combined with dry, hot and windy conditions make it perfect for brush fires to start and to get out of control, and hard for firefighters to contain. Last April was wet, but May started a 5-month period of unusually dry weather with below average rainfall. As a result, many brush and wildland fires kept firefighters busy across the state. Read More…
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