The brush fires continue to burn in Massachusetts.

A major brush fire erupted at Blue Hills Reservation on Monday night, and crews continued to battle the blaze Tuesday.

In Braintree, a brush fire was reported in the woods near Skyline Drive on Monday.

“Fire will continue to smolder deep underground until we have a soaking rain,” states the Braintree Fire Department’s Instagram page.

On top of the major brush fires this week, the alerts for fires kept coming in consistently from Nov. 19-20. Using Dataminr, there were 10 notifications reported in Massachusetts by noon on Nov. 20 and 14 fires reported on Nov. 19.

See map of where fires are burning in MA

The National Weather Service is continuing to warn residents that the state is at high risk for fires, issuing a special advisory on Wednesday.

“The combination of prolonged dry weather and low relative humidities will contribute to elevated fire weather concerns Wednesday across Massachusetts. Obey fire bans, keep vehicles off dry grass and use extra caution if handling any potential ignition sources,” the agency said.

Brush fires/fire alerts today, Nov. 20

These alerts come from Dataminr.

• Brush fire burns on 0 block of Mulberry St. in Groveland
• Fire reported on 10 block of Overland St. Southbridge
• Butternut Fire burns at 1,100 acres on East Mountain Rd. in Great Barrington
• Fire reported on Great Neck Rd. South, Mashpee
• Fire reported on 110 block of Townsend St. Worcester
• Fire reported on Western Ave. Lynn
• Fire reported on 200 block of Walnut Plain Rd. Rochester
• Fire reported on 70 block of Wales St. Taunton
• Brush fire prompts emergency response near Donald E Ross Elementary School on 20 block of Hayward St. in Braintree
• Fire reported on Oakmont St. Webster

Brush fires/fires alerts on Nov. 19

• Fire reported on 900 block of South St. Southbridge
• Fire reported at intersection of Essex Street and Hampshire St. Lawrence
• Fire reported on Methuen St. Lowell
• Fire reported on 0 block of Shrewsbury St. Worcester
• Fire reported on Azalea Rd. Winchester
• Fire reported on Sycamore St. Westfield
• Fire reported on 0 block of Wakefield Ave. Saugus
• Fire reported on Rockland St. Abington
• Fire reported on 300 block of Cherry St. Newton
• Fire reported on 20 block of Virginia St. Dorchester
• Fire reported on 200 block of Rockland St. Hanover
• Three-alarm brush fire burns on 230 block of Topsfield Rd. in Wenham
• Fire reported on 10 block of Colonial Ave. Lowell
• Brush fire burns at Cedar Glen Golf Course on 60 block of Water St. in Saugus

Is this a bad season for brush fires in Massachusetts?

Yes.

The Carver Fire Department reported on Facebook that the average number of November brush fires in Massachusetts is 21.

“So far for November 2024 we are at 292 with over 700 acres burned” for the state, the department noted.

State fire officials report that there were 175 wildfires that continued to be an issue across Massachusetts earlier this month on Nov. 9.

Mass.gov stated that there were 203 brush fires in Massachusetts during the month of October, which is an increase of about 1,200% over the average. Typically, there are only about 15 brush fires in October.

How bad is the drought in Massachusetts?

As of this week, the U.S. Drought Monitor recently showed that dry conditions in Massachusetts keep getting worse.

That’s because the state really hasn’t seen any significant rain since September, with precipitation totals in October being low.

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs declared a Level 3 – Critical Drought for the central and northeast regions parts of Massachusetts late last week.

The U.S. Drought Monitor currently classifies just over 66% of the state as being in a severe drought covering most of the Boston area, North shore, Central Massachusetts and Western Massachusetts. Other parts of the state are considered to be in a moderate drought, while the Cape and Islands are currently classified as abnormally dry.

Is there any rain on the way? If so, will it help?

The National Weather Service stated that a “slow-moving frontal system” will bring overcast skies and rain Thursday into Friday, “which could mix with wet snow at locations above 1,500 feet elevation.”

Meteorologist Candice Hrencecin of the National Weather Service branch in Norton told USA Today Network on Tuesday, Nov. 19, that “about an inch of rain” can be expected this Thursday into Friday.

But after Thursday, the weather is supposed to dry up again, she added.

Regarding whether the forecasted rain would stop the drought, Hrencecin said, “Definitely not,” but she added it would help quench any ongoing brush fires.

We’re finally expecting some much-needed rain in the forecast Thursday, but we remain dry Wednesday as Massachusetts continues to experience many brush fires statewide.

Our NBC10 Boston weather team says Thursday’s rain won’t eliminate drought conditions in the region but it should calm things down, lowering the fire danger in the coming days. For now, MassWildlife staff are assisting DCR and local fire departments in the ongoing efforts to contain wildfires across the state.

Click here for a map of active fires

There was smoke and haze over the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton Wednesday morning. The reservation is a hotbed of fuel with dry leaves and brush at every turn.

Video from our drone ranger shows the fire is smoldering. It’s about 50% contained.

The state Department of Conservation and Recreation says the fix for all of this is simple:

“What we really need is quite a bit of rain over a long duration to really put the fires out in the interior,” said Alex Belote, with DCR fire control.

With a severe drought blanketing the Commonwealth, fire officials are stressing no open burning, no tossing cigarettes, and no additional fuel sources that could exacerbate the multiple fires still burning.

Nearly all of Massachusetts is in a critical drought, with the dry weather fueling wildfires.

People should also take precautions when venturing into the woods, including the following:

• Stay away from active fires. Some may appear out but could still have a fire burning underground. Call 911 to report new fires.
• Extinguish and dispose of smoking materials such as cigarette butts appropriately.
• When visiting wooded areas, park vehicles away from dry grass and leaves and do not block access gates.
• Avoid recently burned areas because of the risk of falling trees weakened by fire.
• If you see or smell smoke, be safe and leave the woods. Fire can move quickly under windy conditions.
• Refrain from any outdoor activity involving open flames. There is a ban on outdoor open burning statewide.

According to MassWildlife, about 45% of Massachusetts homes are in or near areas at severe wildfire risk, meaning that any significant fire will put people and property in danger. Officials are asking Bay State residents to help reduce the risk sharing tips on water conservation and fire prevention.

“Everyone has a role to play in keeping our communities safe during these challenging circumstances,” Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said in a statement last week. “The best way that we can thank the first responders who are battling these fires is to do our part not to contribute to them.”