Dozens of brush fires are continuing to wreak havoc across Massachusetts. And those unyielding flames are still creating widespread haze in parts of the state.
The firefighting task force was back out in full force in Salem on Wednesday – continuing to work to work to completely contain two wildfires – seven acres in Salem Woods and about 170 acres between Spring Lake and Highland Avenue
But spirits are lifted -- much like the smoke that had settled over the city Tuesday.
“This is the first morning we haven’t had smoke since Saturday, so we are very happy about that and the schools will stay in all day today unless something flares up," Salem Fire Chief Alan Dionne said. "We have no airwing coming in, no need for it, and Halloween shall go off!”
That’s great news for the thousands of ghosts and goblins hoping Haunted Happenings will go off without a hitch on Halloween.
And the light rain overnight is partially to thank for that.
“Of course I’m happy about the rain," Marcia Weinstein Steinbrook of Marblehead said. "I mean, I saw the helicopters flying over, dumping, I mean it looked like little pails, you know like trying to put out a kitchen fire with teapot.”
“0.21 inches of rain last night, so that’s encouraging, and I don’t see any open burns or a lot of plumes of smoke right now," Dionne said, "although it is still smoking in there, so that tells us there’s enough heat that it could flare up again later.”
The rain overnight likely won’t extinguish these fires completely, but it should hopefully help a little, and firefighters here will take any break they can get.
The state Department of Conservation and Recreation has also put a temporary ban on all open flame and charcoal fires at state parks to try to reduce the risk for additional fires.
