Brush Fire High Risk Warning Across MA As North Shore Blazes Spread

LYNN, MA — A succession of warm, very dry and windy days has led to an expansion of brushfires on the North Shore and a warning to nearly all Massachusetts residents to be very careful with any sort of outdoor flames.

As crews battled an expanding wildfire at the Breakheart Reservation in Saugus, which sustained significant wildfire damage during last summer's drought as well, and North Shore residents continue to see smoke from the days-burning Lynn Woods fire, the entire state, except for Cape Cod and the Islands, is under a "red flag" warning for Tuesday that is likely to be extended through the end of the week.

The National Weather Service issued the warning Tuesday morning, urging all residents to "be very careful handling any ignition sources outdoors, such as matches and cigarettes."

Lynn fire crews on Monday said they were working with the Department of Conservation and Recreation and a State Police helicopter for water drops on the Lynn Woods fire. All trails in the northern part of Lynn Woods were closed until further notice over the weekend as the blaze threatened nearby homes.

DCR officials said on Tuesday "outdoor burning is discouraged" in state parks with the NWS forecasting southwest winds gusting to up to 35 mph on Tuesday and northwest winds gusting to 35 mph after a cold front moves in early Wednesday, with relative humidity between 15 and 25 percent both days.

The NWS said the fire risk is highest from late morning through sundown each day.

The warnings could be the beginning of yet another perilous summer season after last year's dry and hot conditions helped lead to 38 fires burning 188 acres of the state over a seven-day span in August. Eighty-six of those acres came in the Lynn Woods and Breakheart Reservation.

The state DCR late in August banned all outdoor fires at state parks for the first time since 2016 with the exception of small, portable grills.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)