BOSTON – New month, same old weather story. The warm and dry conditions are expected to continue for at least the first half of November.

Brush fire concerns remain atop the headlines. Tuesday and Wednesday are forecast to be very warm and windy and we are likely to see some renewed red flag warnings posted around southern New England.

Needless to say, any and all outdoor burning is a terrible idea right now and should be avoided at all costs.

Both Boston and Worcester continue to be at or near the record for driest meteorological fall.

Other than a few sprinkles, this week is expected to be just about bone dry. Our next chance of any significant rainfall looks to be early next week.

Therefore, we expect the drought conditions to worsen again this week. We will get an update of the Drought Monitor on Thursday and the percentage of both moderate and severe drought areas in Massachustts could climb significantly.

For the third straight week, we will see a big jump in temperatures for a few days. The warmest days this week will be Tuesday and Wednesday.

There is a high probability of breaking records Wednesday afternoon with highs expected to climb well into the 70s.

Keep in mind that average highs this time of year are in the mid 50s.

Combine that with some very gusty winds over the next few days and you have a recipe for dangerous and rapidly spreading brush fires.

Boston area forecast

No weather issues expected at the polls on Tuesday. Mild and breezy conditions all day long.

Later this week, (Thursday through the weekend) temperatures will come back to near normal but still no significant rainfall expected. Looks like another very pleasant weekend.

Lastly, we will be monitoring a new Tropical Depression this week. It is expected to become a hurricane (Rafael) by Wednesday and then head into the Gulf of Mexico later this week.  We will have much more on this in the coming days.

BOSTON – Dry conditions have persisted and with no rain in the immediate forecast, several Massachusetts communities are dealing with significant brush fires.

According to the Department of Fire Services, as of Saturday night there have been 106 brush and wildland fires reported over the last week. In total, the fires have burned around 600 acres.

Five new fires have been reported since Friday, officials said. 

Massachusetts brush fires

Here is where fires are currently burning in Massachusetts, as of Saturday night:

• Cain Hill (Salem/Lynn) – 140 acres, 50% contained
• Middleton Pond (Middleton) – 188 acres, 70% contained
• Pappas (Canton) – 32 acres, 90% contained
• Wolcott Hill/Blue Hills Reservation (Milton) – 4 acres, 70% contained
• Curry 24 (Devens) – 100 acres,  99% contained
• Maple Meadow (Wilmington) – 10 acres, 70% contained
• Mt. Laurel (Holden) – 6 acres, 95% contained
• Traders Way (Salem) – 15 acres, 50% contained
• Old Forest Rd (North Andover) – 5 acres, 30% contained
• Bradway (Monson) – 44 acres, 90% contained
• Castle Rock (Saugus) – 22 acres, 80% contained
• Pond South (Middleton) – 4 acres, 60% contained
• Fitzgerald (Northampton) – 54 acres, 30% contained
• Moose Meadow (Montgomery) – 60 acres, 60% contained
• Howe (Spencer) – 9.5 acres, 30% contained

How to prevent brush fires

As fires continue to burn, the Department of Fire Services is asking people to take precautions. Here are their tips for preventing fires:

• Do not burn leaves. (Open burning is prohibited through January)
• Refrain from outdoor cooking and heating.
• Use caution with lawnmowers, leaf blowers and other power equipment as engines can get hot enough to ignite dry leaves.
• Dump ashes from fireplaces and wood stoves in a metal can, douse them with water, and cover them with a tight-fitting lid. 
• Extinguish smoking materials in an ashtray with water or sand.