Fire Department extinguishes fourth brush fire since drought began
A firefighter observes a smoldering pile of leaves in one of the photos shared on Facebook by the Wareham Fire Department.
Two fire fighters wet the ground where the brush fire burned. 
Two fire fighters battle the fire from the back of a brush a breaker. 
The brush fire burning through about an acre of woods on Holly Tree Lane.
A firefighter observes a smoldering pile of leaves in one of the photos shared on Facebook by the Wareham Fire Department.
Two fire fighters wet the ground where the brush fire burned.
Two fire fighters battle the fire from the back of a brush a breaker.
The brush fire burning through about an acre of woods on Holly Tree Lane.
A brush fire ignited about an acre of woodland on Holly Tree Lane, a residential street off of Fearing Hill Road, on Wednesday, Nov. 20.
Nobody was injured and no personal property was damaged, according to officials.
Captain Chris Smith said the fire began because a nearby homeowner was burning leaves and brush. Open burning is not allowed until Jan. 15 and requires a permit from the Fire Department, burning leaves is always prohibited. Individuals open burning out of season may be fined, charged for the cost of extinguishing the fire or imprisoned. Officials did not say if the homeowner will face charges.
The Wareham Fire Department responded to the scene at at 3:10 p.m. Fire crews fought the flames with four brush breakers, smaller firefighting vehicles able to navigate wooded areas and one fire engine, beating down the fire in about 25 minutes.
Firefighters remained on the scene for more than two hours wetting down the area and pulling apart smoldering vegetation.
The Wareham Fire Department has responded to four brush fires since the Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs declared the Southeast region of the state to be in significant drought on Nov. 7. The department increased the drought status to critical across the state on Nov. 19.
“Be careful with any source of ignition,” Smith said. “From outdoor burning to smoking, those are contributing things so be careful,”
In the event of a brush fire, Smith advised that residents should first call 911 and then be mindful of the wind direction, as the fire will spread in the direction the wind is blowing.
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