BOSTON. (AP) — A high school in Salem, Massachusetts, shut down classes early Tuesday and an annual Downtown Trick or Treat event in a second town was canceled because of smoky conditions as firefighters continued to battle stubborn brush fires in eastern parts of the state.
School officials in Salem — about 24 miles north of Boston and the state’s ground zero for Halloween festivities — said there is no danger from flames. The danger instead comes from the elevated smoke levels around the campus, the officials said. Officials also decided to relocate classes from an elementary school.
On Saturday, a woman died in an outdoor fire at an encampment in Millbury.
In Reading, about 12 miles (19.2 kilometers) west of Salem, town officials said Tuesday that they decided to cancel the annual trick or treat festival in the town’s business district because of concerns about air quality.
“Reports confirm multiple fires, with the largest fires burning in Salem and Middleton. Smoke from these and other fires throughout the state has led to degraded air quality, prompting concerns for the health of residents, particularly those at increased risk,” officials said in a Facebook post.