SPENCER – Fire officials across Massachusetts are pleading with residents to stop outdoor burning as brush fires continue to spread.
In Spencer, Fire Chief Bob Parsons wrote Monday that his department is “a bit puzzled” by people who are still burning leaves or using fire pits amid extremely dry conditions. He said firefighters responded to six outside fires sparked by people over the weekend.
Open burning is banned statewide through January, according to the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services.
“You would think the constant media attention on the news about the 100+ brush fires in the state over the past 7 days burning over 600 acres would get peoples attention,” Parsons wrote. “Nope.”
In neighboring Oakham, crews have helped respond to fires in Spencer.
“We can’t stress enough that there is no outdoor burning of any type allowed,” the fire department said in a Facebook post Saturday. “These fires are large fires that are depleting our local resources on a daily basis right now.”