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Fire risk elevated across Massachusetts as deadly brushfire burns in neighboring state

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Fire risk elevated across Massachusetts as deadly brushfire burns in neighboring state


The National Weather Service says there is an elevated fire risk in Massachusetts as a deadly wildfire continues to burn in Connecticut.

The combination of recent dry weather, gusty winds, and lower humidity makes conditions favorable for wildfire spread today in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, the NWS and National Fire Service said.

“Use caution when handling and disposing of ignition sources,” the NWS warned in a special statement.

Robert Sharkevich, a firefighter with the Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department in Connecticut died Tuesday after a utility vehicle rolled over onto him Tuesday while he was fighting a brush fire on Lamentation Mountain in the town of Berlin, Governor Ned Lamont announced Wednesday.

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“I am very heartbroken to learn the news of the tragic loss of Firefighter Sharkevich, who died while bravely and courageously responding to the brush fire at Lamentation Mountain in Berlin,” Lamont said in a statement. “His selfless dedication to public service and the safety of his community and the surrounding towns is nothing less than heroic.”

In New Braintree, Massachusetts, the Oakham Fire Department also battled a brushfire on Wednesday and a second one in Holden.

“Conditions are dangerously dry. Please remember no open burning and use caution discarding smoking materials,” the fire department said in a Facebook post.

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The Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation says a fire that broke out at Blue Hills Reservation in Milton on Sunday burned about two acres and is now about 70 percent contained.

The Bay State reminded residents that a permit is required from local fire departments to burn materials, and it’s only allowed from Jan. 15 to May 1. It’s also prohibited in 22 cities and towns include Boston, Worcester, and Lawrence.

The state has also placed patrols in wooded areas where the fire risk is considered high.

Wind gusts in Massachusetts could hit 30 mph on Thursday, fueling an increased possibility for fires, the Boston 25 Weather team said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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A magical holiday village is tucked inside Massachusetts’ most famous candle store

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A magical holiday village is tucked inside Massachusetts’ most famous candle store


Yankee Candle is a staple in the Bay State, famous for its colorful jars full of fragrance and warm light.

And while its candles can essentially be bought from anywhere, the mothership of the iconic candles lies in South Deerfield at Yankee Candle Village.

The flagship store, known for its ginormous collection of Yankee Candle scents and retail goods, is a winter holiday destination for those in New England.

  • This is the most popular candle scent in Massachusetts, according to The Loupe

Leading up to Christmas, the store turns into a complete holiday stop.

Now on prominent display are the brand’s many different winter scents, including such classics as Red Apple Wreath and Balsam & Cedar, and such holiday scents as Christmas Cookie and North Pole Greetings.

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Bavarian Christmas Village, arguably the most festive room in Yankee Candle Village, is Christmas all year. Guests will stroll through an enchanted forest featuring a 25-foot-tall Christmas tree, nutcrackers, winter village displays and even indoor snow that falls every 4 minutes.

  • ‘Disneyland’ Leverett estate of Yankee Candle founder Michael J. Kittredge II for sale at $23 million

But scattered throughout the flagship store are hints of Christmas and a winter wonderland — from the home section filled with holiday kitchen decor to the Toy Shop filled with jolly trinkets.

Santa even pays a visit to the Yankee Candle Village, hosting a storytime with kids every Monday through Thursday at 11:30 a.m.

And if the shopping and holiday joy become overwhelming, the store even has cafes that offer a bite to eat. Guests can also indulge in sweet treats in its candy store or try freshly made fudge.

Yankee Candle Village is located at 25 Greenfield Road in South Deerfield. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

  • Yankee Candle will close 20 stores; parent to lay off 900 employees



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Two stranded dolphins rescued from Massachusetts marsh

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Two stranded dolphins rescued from Massachusetts marsh


It swims in the family.

A mother and calf wandered off the beaten path and got stranded in a Massachusetts marsh, forcing an emergency mammal rescue crew to save the wayward dolphin pair.

On Dec. 8, the Wareham Department of Natural Resources responded to a report of two stranded dolphins in the area of Beaverdam Creek off of the Weweantic River, a 17-mile tributary that drains into Buzzards Bay, which directly connects to the Atlantic Ocean.

When crews arrived, two common dolphins were located alive and active, but partially out of the water stranded in the marsh, according to the Wareham Department of Natural Resources.

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Responding authorities alerted the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) Marine Mammal Stranding Response Team, based in Cape Cod.

IFAW team members put the dolphins on stretchers and brought them to safety, where they conducted preliminary tests on the wayward dolphins.

The IFAW team placed the dolphins onto stretchers to bring them to safety. Wareham Department of Natural Resources

“Our teams were easily able to extract the animals and transport them via our custom-built rescue vehicle,” Stacey Hedman, senior director of communications for IFAW, said.

The dolphins were weighed; the smaller of the two weighed approximately 90 lbs, and the larger mammal around 150 lbs.

Upon further analysis, it was revealed that the dolphins were an adult female and a socially-dependent juvenile female, a mother and calf pair.

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The small dolphin weighed 90 lbs, with the larger one coming in at roughly 150 lbs. Wareham Department of Natural Resources
Upon further analysis, it was revealed that the dolphins were an adult female and a socially-dependent juvenile female, a mother and calf pair. IFAW

According to Hedman, IFAW had some concerns over the mother’s decreased responsiveness and abnormal blood work, though it was deemed the pair was healthy enough to release back into the ocean at West Dennis Beach in Dennis, Mass.

“By releasing them into an area with many other dolphins around, this would hopefully increase their chances of socialization and survival. Both animals have satellite tags that are still successfully tracking,” Hedman said.



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Man seriously injured after being thrown from moving vehicle during domestic dispute

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Man seriously injured after being thrown from moving vehicle during domestic dispute


A 19-year-old Massachusetts man was seriously injured after he was thrown from a moving vehicle he had grabbed onto during a domestic dispute Thursday morning.

Duxbury police said they responded to a report of an injured male who might have been struck by a vehicle on Chandler Street around 5:22 a.m. and found a 19-year-old Pembroke man lying in the roadway with serious injuries.

Through interviews with witnesses, officers learned that the man had gone to his ex-girlfriend’s residence on Chandler Street to confront her current boyfriend. An altercation ensued, during which police said the 19-year-old appears to have jumped on the hood of a vehicle and was then thrown from the moving vehicle.

The incident remains under investigation, police said. At this time, they said no charges have been filed.

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