Massachusetts wildfire risk high as National Weather Service issues Red Flag Warning

Massachusetts fire departments continue to urge against outdoor burning, with the National Weather Service issuing a Red Flag Warning in the Bay State.

As temperatures soar and the wind picks up, state fire officials are battling even more daunting conditions. Due to scarce rainfall, most of the Commonwealth is in at least a moderate drought.

“A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly,” the National Weather Service said. “Any fires that start may spread rapidly and become difficult to extinguish.”

The Red Flag Warning went into effect at 8 a.m., and is in place until 6 p.m.

“Many communities have implemented restrictions on any outdoor fires because they are so likely to spread rapidly and become difficult to control,” the state Department of Fire Services said in a social media post early Wednesday morning. “Burning yard waste, cooking or heating outside, hot work like cutting and grinding, and even careless disposal of smoking materials can ignite a fire that puts people, pets, and property in danger.”

The temperature at Boston Logan International Airport reached 69 degrees before 10 a.m. and is expected to hit the upper 70s this afternoon, which NWS Boston describes as “record-breaking warmth.”

Westerly winds are ranging between 13 and 16 miles per hour, with gusts as high as 32 mph, the weather service added.

A cooldown is expected through the weekend, NWS’ forecast discussion states, but an “isolated risk for a spot shower across the Berkshires this evening will be the only shower chance through Saturday.”

“We’re off to a very mild start across southern New England, a morning more reminiscent of late August or early September with temps and dewpoints in the 60s,” the discussion states.

This comes as the Bay State faces an “unprecedented spike in outdoor fires.” A hundred brush and wildland blazes had been reported over the past week, state fire officials said last Friday.

Massachusetts had a total of about 200 reported wildland fires in October — a 1,200% spike from the average of 15 reported wildland fires each October, according to data the state Department of Fire Services released last week.

The Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Bureau of Forest Fire Control and Forestry is assisting local fire departments with monitoring all active incidents, DCR fire towers are on full alert, and a temporary ban has been implemented on all open flame and charcoal fires at Massachusetts state parks.

Spencer Fire Chief Bob Parsons slammed residents in the small Worcester County town for continuing to burn outdoors. His department issued a burning ban Monday morning, per advice from the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts.

“It doesn’t seem to be slowing people down though when it comes to people burning this weekend. We are a bit puzzled,” Parsons said in a Facebook post on Monday.

“We have posted to social media and launched this notification message,” he added. “You would think the constant media attention on the news about the 100+ brush fires in the state over the past 7 days burning over 600 acres would get people’s attention. Nope.”