Breakheart Reservation Closed Until Further Notice Amid Fires: DCR

WAKEFIELD, MA — The Breakheart Reservation in Saugus and Wakefield will remain closed until further notice amid lingering wildfires, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) announced on Wednesday, prolonging a closure that was previously set to end on Wednesday night.

This announcement came after another day of firefighting with help from National Guard helicopter water-drops. Recent rain and humidity has also calmed fire behavior to some extent, the DCR said on Tuesday.

The situation remains active, however, with multiples fires still burning within the reservation. None of the fires were fully contained as of Tuesday afternoon, together burning close to 80 acres of the reservation. Collectively, that burn area represents more than 10% of Breakheart’s entire acreage.

Despite recent moisture, officials recently cautioned that the region remains gripped by “extreme drought” conditions, as noted by the U.S. Drought Monitor. Those conditions have ripened landscapes for fire spread, challenging firefighters with large scale fires in places like Lynn, Marlborough, Natick and Georgetown.

For its part, the Department of Conservation and Recreation has banned the use of open flames — including campfires and charcoal cookouts — in all of its properties.