Fire Chief Says Wildfires May Continue All Summer

The Andover Fire Department had to close Bailey Road down for a small period of time during a day last week due to the fighting of a brush fire that consumed roughly three-quarters of an acre of brush near power lines.

And Andover Fire Chief Michael Mansfield said that if conditions don't change soon, then the department will have to be ready to fight many more brush fires in the coming months.

"The weather is perfect for wildfires," said Mansfield.

Mansfield has currently discontinued outside burning in the town of Andover until conditions become safer to burn. The state has currently declared Red Flag dry weather, meaning outside burning is prohibited.

Mansfield said that the absence of a snow pack from the winter has made brush much drier than usual and the branch loss from the August hurricane and October snow storm has left significantly more fuel for wildfires than normally. That combined with unusually high temperatures and lack of rain is making conditions potentially danergerous for the town.

"If we don't get significant rain between now and the late spring or early summer, we're going to have some serious issues," said Mansfield.

He said that with windspeeds between 12 to 22 miles per hour and with humidity between 13 and 20 percent, residents need to be careful about burning anything outside because any fire started outside may spread quickly.

Mansfield hopes for some weather that will make conditions safe but said, in the meantime, they'll be alert.

"We're keeping an eye on it and we're in constant contact with the Department of Conservation and Recreation folks (who manage Harold Parker Forest). We are just trying to stay on top it," said Mansfield.

Mansfield said that but residents are not allowed to use the permit until he declares the weather safe enough to burn.