After a slow start, there's been an uptick of brush fires recently across Massachusetts.
Dave Celino is the chief fire warden for the state's Department of Conservation and Recreation. He said on Tuesday alone, there were more than a dozen fires in Massachusetts. Celino said recent warm and dry conditions, aided by the wind, have led to more blazes.
"Folks that are burning brush, campfires that are unattended or are not fully extinguished will escape and that's what we're seeing with the uptick," he said.
Many local communities allow the burning of brush and yard waste with a permit through the end of April, depending on the weather.
Celino added a fire in Greenfield Tuesday was even caused by sparks from a train, burning about 15 acres.
He said that drought conditions over the last few years have led to trees dying, and not falling, leaving them susceptible to burning. And above average snow this past winter didn't help that much.
"Snow really doesn't absorb into those dead fuels and so we're seeing those fuels burn readily once we have this fire weather," he said.
And it is still dry out there. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor report from last week had Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties all listed as “abnormally dry."
Some help may be on the way. Showers and thunderstorms are possible several days through the weekend as temperatures start to drop Sunday and Monday.
