SAUGUS, MASS. (WHDH) - State officials have issued a ban on open flame fires and charcoal grills at state parks as crews continue to tackle forest fires burning in Massachusetts, including at Breakheart Reservation in Saugus.
The reservation will remain closed through Wednesday as crews make headway on the flames that have been burning there for a week. Officials believe the fire is about 50% contained, while affecting 79 acres.
Environmental officials said some 30 wildfires have been burning across Massachusetts over the last week, with one of the largest burning at Breakheart.
Fueling the fire is mostly pine and oak leaf litter found on the forest floor and while recent rain has been helpful, those leading the efforts in Saugus said the job is far from over.
The National Guard has also been providing assistance in Saugus, performing water drops from a pond in Lynn over the weekend.
They also recently finished another fire-stopping deployment in Rockport, helping put out flames at the Woodland Acres Property, a wildfire that has since been contained but still being monitored for flareups.
To try and prevent further wildfires from breaking out, the Department of Conservation & Recreation announced on Tuesday that it was moving to ban the use of open flame fires in the meantime.
“Effective immediately, open flame fires and charcoal grilles are temporarily banned at all DCR properties throughout the Commonwealth,” A DCR official told reporters at a briefing on the wildfires Tuesday. “This decision is based on the extreme drought conditions and the increased risk of fires that occur during these conditions when hot coals or smoldering embers are left unattended in our forests or elsewhere.”
In a press release, the DCR added that small, portable propane grills will still be allowed at campgrounds and recreation areas where grilling is permitted.
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