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Governor Healy, state officials brief Middleton on 17-day wildfire; officials urge no outdoor fires, water conservation
Summary
Governor Healy and state and local fire officials briefed residents in Middleton on an ongoing 17-day wildfire covering roughly 242 acres (about 80% contained), warned that most recent fires stem from human activity, and urged residents to avoid outdoor burning and conserve water for firefighting.
Governor Healy and state and local officials briefed residents in Middleton on an ongoing wildfire that officials said has burned roughly 242 acres and is about 80% contained, urging people not to start outdoor fires and to conserve water for firefighting.
The briefing, held at the incident command post, brought together Governor Healy; State Fire Marshal John Davin; Chief Fire Warden Dave Salino; Middleton Fire Chief Lacoste; and state emergency-management and forestry officials. “Now is not the time to burn leaves,” Governor Healy said, urging residents to avoid open flames and to follow local restrictions after the National Weather Service issued a red-flag warning for much of the state.
Why it matters: officials described an unusually active fall season with large increases in fire activity compared with recent years, widespread drought conditions and degraded air quality. The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs has issued a level 3 critical drought alert for the central and northeast regions and level 2 conditions elsewhere, and officials warned that dry fuel sources make outdoor fires likely to spread quickly.
Officials emphasized the human role in recent fires and public-safety steps. “A lot of these fires that we're seeing, they're caused by human behavior,” Governor Healy said, urging residents to stop burning leaves, avoid campfires and suspend charcoal grilling in high-risk areas. State Fire Marshal John Davin added, “If you see smoke or flames nearby, call 911 right away,” and reminded fire chiefs and crews to prioritize rehabilitation and safety amid long operational periods.
State and mutual-aid resources: Healy said the state is coordinating emergency services through NEMA, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), the Department of Fire Services, the state police and the National Guard, which officials credited with performing many water drops. Mutual aid has arrived from Maine and New Hampshire under the Northeast Forest Fire Protection Compact. Davin said Department of Fire Services assets — drones, rehab units and incident support teams — are available to support local requests.
Local conditions and precautions: Middleton Fire Chief Lacoste described ongoing perimeter patrols and warned residents to stay away from burned woods because weakened trees can fall. He reported the active incident at about 242 acres and roughly 80% contained. Officials also said some state parks are temporarily closed and that the state has banned open-flame and charcoal fires in state parks while conditions persist.
Next steps: officials said they will continue to monitor conditions, support local authorities and supply requested state resources, and reiterated the public safety guidance to avoid outdoor burning and conserve water to assist firefighting operations.
