Burlington Brush Fire Damages Cars, Threatens Homes And Buildings

BURLINGTON, MA — The Burlington Fire Department and several of its mutual-aid partners took nearly three hours to extinguish a Tuesday afternoon brush fire that damaged cars and threatened buildings and homes, the Burlington Fire Department said.

The two-alarm fire, first reported in the area of Arboretum Way, occurred on a day when the National Weather Services had declared a red flag warning due to dry and windy conditions that were conducive to fires spreading rapidly.

No injuries were reported in the blaze, which required nine Burlington fire apparatus and mutual aid at the scene from Billerica, Woburn, Reading and Wilmington. A representative from Massachusetts Forest Fire Control also responded to the scene, cutting down several trees that were burning, authorities said.

The Burlington FD said the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

According to reports from the Burlington FD, at approximately 2:16 p.m., the department received a report of a brush fire in the area of 13 Arboretum Way.

Burlington's Engine 1 was the first company at the scene and found the brush fire approaching two buildings, according to authorities. A working fire was declared.

Fire officials said several small mulch fires around the Arboretum Way buildings were knocked down.

However, the remaining fire grew to about 1.25 acres and began to push its way up a 70-foot hill, threatening to burn three parked cars, according to the Burlington FD.

Authorities said firefighters were able to keep the vehicles from catching fire, though the vehicles were damaged by the heat.

Soon, a second alarm was sounded, bringing more manpower to the scene. This was necessary, fire officials said, because the fire was threatening the Beacon Hill Apartments and two homes on Peach Orchard Road.

Eventually, firefighters surrounded the fire and were able to keep it contained, according to authorities.

The Burlington FD said it took over three hours to completely extinguish the fire and cool down the hot spots.