SALEM - A persistent brush fire going since Sunday flared up again yesterday, scorching about 30 acres of city land along the MBTA commuter rail tracks.
The brush fire was the latest in a number of similar blazes across the North Shore yesterday, fueled by dry vegetation after more than five weeks without significant rainfall.
"They're all over the place right now," Peabody fire Capt. Joe Daly said. "We need some rain desperately."
Peabody firefighters had their own troubles last night, responding to a fire in the woods near the Meadows at Peabody Golf Course near Sutton Road.
Firefighters were on scene as of press time and were unavailable for comment.
Last month was one of the most driest Augusts on record in Salem and elsewhere North of Boston. Only 1.24 inches of rain fell in Salem, making it the sixth driest August in the past 30 years; the National Weather Service at Logan Airport recorded .66 inches of rain making it the second driest August.
The effects of the lack of rain aren't visible only in residents' brown lawns, but in fire departments' response logs.
Along with Salem, firefighters in Peabody, Swampscott and Middleton responded to brush fires in their communities yesterday, though those were much smaller than the blaze in Salem near the Swampscott town line. Numerous calls from passengers on the MBTA commuter train alerted firefighters to yesterday's flare-up in the Witch City.
Gaining to that fire was extremely difficult, said Salem fire Deputy Chief Brian Harrington. Yesterday, firefighters staged at Pinkham Park Condominiums and had to hike down a trail for about a mile to the fire scene. At one point in the afternoon, firefighters were guided by a spotter in a state police helicopter to the hottest areas.
Other departments were hopping most of yesterday, too:
* In Peabody, long before they were called to the golf course blaze, firefighters responded to a brush fire near Oak Grove Cemetery between Pine Street and Winona Road.
* In Hamilton, firefighters responded to a 1 p.m. report of a campfire in Chebacco Woods. When they arrived on scene, the campfire was unattended.
"Everything is dry, and it very easily burns so having a campfire in this situation would be irresponsible," Hamilton firefighter and EMT Skip Mullin said. "Simply because of the type of dryness. We haven't had much in the way of rain, and we're not looking for rain for another couple days."
The brush fire was the latest in a number of similar blazes across the North Shore yesterday, fueled by dry vegetation after more than five weeks without significant rainfall.
"They're all over the place right now," Peabody fire Capt. Joe Daly said. "We need some rain desperately."
Peabody firefighters had their own troubles last night, responding to a fire in the woods near the Meadows at Peabody Golf Course near Sutton Road.
Firefighters were on scene as of press time and were unavailable for comment.
Last month was one of the most driest Augusts on record in Salem and elsewhere North of Boston. Only 1.24 inches of rain fell in Salem, making it the sixth driest August in the past 30 years; the National Weather Service at Logan Airport recorded .66 inches of rain making it the second driest August.
The effects of the lack of rain aren't visible only in residents' brown lawns, but in fire departments' response logs.
Along with Salem, firefighters in Peabody, Swampscott and Middleton responded to brush fires in their communities yesterday, though those were much smaller than the blaze in Salem near the Swampscott town line. Numerous calls from passengers on the MBTA commuter train alerted firefighters to yesterday's flare-up in the Witch City.
Gaining to that fire was extremely difficult, said Salem fire Deputy Chief Brian Harrington. Yesterday, firefighters staged at Pinkham Park Condominiums and had to hike down a trail for about a mile to the fire scene. At one point in the afternoon, firefighters were guided by a spotter in a state police helicopter to the hottest areas.
Other departments were hopping most of yesterday, too:
* In Peabody, long before they were called to the golf course blaze, firefighters responded to a brush fire near Oak Grove Cemetery between Pine Street and Winona Road.
* In Hamilton, firefighters responded to a 1 p.m. report of a campfire in Chebacco Woods. When they arrived on scene, the campfire was unattended.
"Everything is dry, and it very easily burns so having a campfire in this situation would be irresponsible," Hamilton firefighter and EMT Skip Mullin said. "Simply because of the type of dryness. We haven't had much in the way of rain, and we're not looking for rain for another couple days."
The rain predicted for later this week is only for a chance of showers on Sunday and Monday.
The lack of rain in August isn't unusual, according to Arthur Francis, a meteorologist and former Salem State College professor.
August rain stats for Salem
Driest
1995: .80 inches
1981: .92
1996: .96
1999: 1.07
1993: 1.20
2007: 1.24
Wettest
1990: 7.13
1989: 6.78
1991: 6.59
Average August rainfall
(measured over last 30 years):
3.26 inches
Days without measurable rain:
17
Last significant rainfall:
1.03 inches on July 28
Source: Arthur Francis, Salem State College
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