Massachusetts
Crews from Maine, N.H. help Massachusetts firefighters battle brush fires across state
NORTH ANDOVER – Crews from Maine and New Hampshire are making the trek down to Massachusetts to help the state battle large brush fires.
Crews coming from Maine and New Hampshire
On Monday the National Guard was helping firefighters battle brush fires by dropping buckets of water from the air on Boxford State Forest in North Andover.
“We just are fortifying that perimeter, just making sure that we’re working 20 to 30 feet in soaking it down incredibly basically turning it to mud. The unburned side we are using leaf blowers and rakes to blow everything away and wetting that down,” North Andover Deputy Fire Chief Graham Rowe said.
Rowe says the biggest challenge with this brush fire is poor cell reception in the area and accessibility to water.
“We have running tankers our closest fill-up station is about half a mile away so they have to rotate in to fill up the tankers. Cell service is bad and radio communication because of the thick brush,” he said.
Brush fires have been raging across Massachusetts for three weeks. The state is currently experiencing a severe drought.
Brush fire near golf course
About 10 miles away from the North Andover fires, grounds crews at the Gannon Golf Course in Lynn were busy keeping a close watch on the brush fires that closed down the greens.
“It sort of popped over from the other side of the reservoir you can’t quite see it in through here because there’s no water anymore it’s all dry. It sort of jumped and then it started and made its way up and to the middle, to the 13th hole,” Gannon Golf Pro David Sibley said.
Golfer Lisa Franklin is making the most of it despite only being able to play the first nine holes.
“I say hats off to all the firefighters that are doing such a great job,” Franklin said.
Red Flag warning
The National Weather Service issues a red flag warning for all of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut for Tuesday due to the new fires, high wind gusts, and dry weather. They also advise people to avoid any outdoor burning.
If you see a brush fire near you call 911.
Fire broke out at an apartment building in North Attleborough, Massachusetts, on Monday afternoon, sending a column of smoke high into the air.
NBC affiliate WJAR-TV reports the smoke was visible from miles away from the building on Juniper Road.
More details were not immediately available.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Life Care Center of Raynham has received a deficiency‑free inspection result from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, a distinction awarded to a small share of the state’s licensed nursing homes, according to a community announcement.
The inspection was conducted as part of the state’s routine, unannounced nursing home survey process overseen by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. These comprehensive, multi‑day inspections evaluate multiple aspects of facility operations, including staffing levels, quality of care, medication management, cleanliness, food service and resident rights.
State survey records show that Life Care Center of Raynham met required standards during its most recent standard survey, with no deficiencies cited, based on publicly available state data.
The announcement states that fewer than 8% of Massachusetts nursing homes achieve deficiency‑free survey results. That figure could not be independently verified through state or federal data and is attributed to the announcement.
In addition to the state survey outcome, the facility is listed as a five‑star provider for quality measures on the federal Medicare Care Compare website. The five‑star quality measure rating reflects above‑average performance compared with other nursing homes nationwide, according to federal rating methodology.
Officials said the inspection results reflect ongoing compliance with state and federal standards designed to protect resident health and safety. According to the announcement, the outcome is attributed to staff performance and internal quality practices.
This story was created by Dave DeMille, ddemille@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
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