Brush Fires in Middlesex Fells at Edge of I-93
Fire crews worked the fires Monday afternoon.
Brush fires off the right side I-93 North slowed rush hour traffic Monday afternoon as crews from Medford and Stoneham fought to keep them under control.
Fire crews were called to the Fells about 3 p.m. Monday and were still on scene as of about 4:15 p.m. Multiple fire vehicles were parked in the breakdown lane of the northbound side of the interstate in between exits 33 and 34. Smoke lightly wafted from near Spot Pond in the Fells onto the northbound side of the highway.
Emergency scanner transmissions indicated there were several significant brush fires in the area.
Shortly before 4:30 p.m., firefighters with Stoneham Engine 4, parked along the northbound side of the highway near Exit 34, was seen packing up a fire hose. As of 4:45 p.m., Engine 4 had left the area, and traffic was backed up past the Stoneham and Melrose exit.
A message left with Stoneham Fire Department Monday afternoon has yet to be returned.
Return to Patch for updates later this evening.
Dan Sullivan
9:40 am on Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Every car comes with an ashtray - why on earth can't smokers use them instead of littering and potentially starting fires??
mark patterson
11:26 am on Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Dan,I realize your comment is rhetorical,but,people don't use ashtrays for the same reason they don't do something as simple as giving a directional.People are lazy,selfish and inconsiderate.Most of them don't realize that it slows down traffic and puts us in a dangerous position on the highway while we are extinguishing the brush.Add to that the fact that we tied up 3 pieces of apparatus that could have been needed elsewhere.The curiosity factor slows down the traffic even further and that's the last thing a person wants on a hot afternoon when they are just trying to get home or get away.Ignorance is bliss.
mark patterson
11:33 am on Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Jarret and Mark O. I was referring to the brush we had further up the road in Woburn.We were there with Reading Fire about the same time. The dry weather has made everything very dry.