Crews continue to battle brush fires, Salem students return to school after smoke clears – Boston News, Weather, Sports

SALEM, Holy Mass (WHDH) – Crews from several communities are on the ground and in the air trying to extinguish growing flames as massive brush fires and smoke continue to spread through the area.

On Tuesday in Salem, where schools canceled all outdoor activities as the city continued its daylong smoke fight, a National Guard helicopter threw large buckets of water onto the fire.

“If we don’t have the airwing, we may not be able to deliver the water we need,” Salem Fire Chief Alan Dionne said.

Salem Public Schools also dismissed classes early at a nearby high school.

“I wasn’t at Salem High School, but apparently there was a smell of smoke walking in the halls,” said Chris O’Donnell of Salem Public Schools.

Students at Horace Mann Laboratory School were also transferred to Witchcraft Heights Elementary School due to smoke.

“We were in the library, but we had to evacuate because some kids had asthma and the air was harmful to them,” said Aabryell Castillo, a transfer student.

The fire broke out around midnight. Dionne said the terrain is steep, with a ravine in the middle and houses surrounding a dense, forested area.

Rachel Schultze’s apartment borders Salem Forest and she took photos of the nearby flames.

“I told my boyfriend, ‘It looks like the world is literally on fire,’” Schultze said. “It was crazy to see some of the dead trees go up in flames.”

The state fire department said there were 47 fires in the state as of Monday morning, with 18 of them starting on Sunday.

Affected communities include Wilmington, Beverly, Canton, Weston and Stoughton.

The largest bushfire in Middleton has spread to more than 250 acres – four times larger than reported the day before.

“Hopefully we’ll get some rain soon to help the situation,” said Wayne Farrin of Middleton. “You know, it’s hard.”

As work to suppress the fires is expected to continue throughout the day, firefighters across Massachusetts are trying to bring in what Mother Nature doesn’t have – water, with the help of the National Guard and water-dropping helicopters.

SKY7-HD recorded a U.S. Air National Guard helicopter throwing 600-gallon buckets of water onto the flames in Middleton. The buckets were refilled at nearby Middleton Pond.

“I don’t think today will be the last day. “I think we’ll come back to it tomorrow and beyond,” Middleton Fire Chief Doug Lecolst said Tuesday.

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Since the fires were first reported over the weekend, more than 200 firefighters from thirty municipalities have joined forces to contain them.

“I hate snow, but right now I would like a foot of snow. Yes, we need rain,” Lecolst said.

There were no plans to cancel or delay classes at Salem High School or Horace Mann Laboratory School on Wednesday.

This is developing news; stay tuned to 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest news.