DCR Encourages Safety: Without Snow, Sparks May Fly

From a Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation press release dated 2/21/12:

During this unusually dry season, officials from Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) have received a number of reports of fires from various regions around the state. With the lack of snow this winter, state fire officials at DCR are urging residents to use fire safety.

“We're asking the public to use caution with open burning during these unusually dry conditions,” DCR Commissioner Edward Lambert. “The impacts of large human-caused forest fires can last for decades and can permanently change the way these lands are managed for public use.”

With little snow cover and less than an inch of rain in the last month, the grass and leaves that allow forest fires to start and spread are very dry. Conditions are not expected to improve in the next several days.

“Conditions are ripe for a forest fire, added DCR’s Chief Fire Warden Dave Celino. “While the above average air temperatures and lack of precipitation are great for outdoor activities, they also encourage the spread of fire.”

Compounding the situation is the fact that many people don’t recognize the danger of burning during these conditions. Various weather events in 2011 created more brush to dispose of than usual. If you do plan on burning, please obtain a burn permit from your local fire department, don’t leave the fire unattended and always completely extinguish the fire before leaving the area.

For more information on Massachusetts open burning regulations, please visit http://www.mass.gov/dcr/stewardship/firecont/DCROpenBurn.htm

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The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), an agency of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, oversees 450,000 acres of parks and forests, beaches, bike trails, watersheds, dams, and parkways. Led by Commissioner Edward M. Lambert, Jr., the agency’s mission is to protect, promote, and enhance our common wealth of natural, cultural, and recreational resources. To learn more about DCR, our facilities, and our programs, please visit www.mass.gov/dcr. Contact us at mass.parks@state.ma.us.