2 firefighters seriously injured as wildfires blaze across Massachusetts

State fire officials now say 175 wildfires continue to burn across Massachusetts as of Saturday evening, threatening land and homes in towns across the Commonwealth.

So far, the fires have burned more than 568 acres of land, Department of Fire Services spokesperson Jake Wark said in an email Sunday evening. According to Wark, 36 of those fires were reported in the last 24 hours. 

Fires in North Andover, Northbridge, Northfield, Northampton, and Pittsfield damaged houses and structures in the past week, Wark said. Local authorities banned outdoor fires due to “grave fire danger,” he told Boston.com.  

He also said that two firefighters were “seriously” injured battling a fire last week after a large limb fell on them. 

“Fires burning six inches, a foot, or even more underground can be extremely difficult to extinguish or contain because they will continue to ignite falling leaves and allow fire to escape the perimeter,” Wark said in the email. “Dead and burning trees already pose a serious hazard to firefighters because they can fall over without warning, but a burned-out root system makes this even more likely.”

Why are these fires growing so fast?

These fires are spreading unusually fast due to “critical drought conditions” across the state, Wark said. All of the things that normally fuel fire outside, like ground and leaves, are “extremely dry,” which makes for good kindling, Wark said. In addition, water sources like lakes and ponds that are usually used to fight fires are running low.

“Bright sun, high winds, low humidity, and bone-dry fuel mean that any outdoor fire will spread and cause a wildfire that puts people and property in danger,” Wark said. 

However, Wark noted that these kinds of fires are preventable. Yard waste burning as well as outdoor cooking are two big proponents of local brush fires. In addition, hot engines and gasoline from lawn tractors and other power equipment are often culprits, in addition to “careless disposal” of cigarettes and other human activity. 

“We can’t stress this enough: the extreme fire behavior we’re seeing this season poses a grave risk to people – residents and firefighters alike,” Wark said in the email. “This is no time to be using a fire pit or burning leaves, because these fires will grow out of control and every firefighter battling a preventable wildfire is one who can’t respond to a structure fire, car crash, or medical emergency.”

Where are the biggest fires?

Wark detailed 14 of the biggest fires currently burning across the state. As of Sunday, he told Boston.com, the largest is at Mt. Gilead in Lynn, sized at 309 acres and zero percent contained. Below is a list of the biggest fires in Massachusetts as of Sunday evening.

• Cain Hill (Salem/Lynn): 140+ acres, 60 percent contained
• Middleton Pond (Middleton): 243 acres, 60 percent contained
• Pappas (Canton): 33 acres, 90 percent contained 
• Wolcott Hill / Blue Hills Reservation (Milton): 4 acres, 90 percent contained
• Traders Way (Salem): 15 acres, 50 percent contained
• Bradway (Monson): 44 acres, 90 percent contained
• Old Forest Road (North Andover): 5 acres, 30 percent contained
• Castle Rock (Saugus): 22 acres, 80 percent contained
• Fitzgerald (Northampton): 55 acres, 85 percent contained
• Moose Meadow (Montgomery): 60 acres, 60 percent contained
• Georgetown/Rowley: 10 acres, 60 percent contained
• Fern (Saugus): 20 acres, 30 percent contained
• Mt. Gilead (Lynn): 309 acres, 0 percent contained
• Craig Mountain South (Northfield): 5 acres, 55 percent contained

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Eva Levin is a general assignment co-op for Boston.com. She covers breaking and local news in Boston and beyond.

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