Beverly Burn Permits Suspended Amid 'Red Flag Warning'

BEVERLY, MA — Open fires and burning are not allowed in Beverly until the next rain storm amid a statewide "red flag warning."

The city said that the Beverly Fire Department will not be activating any burn permits in the city for the remainder of the week. Crews on Tuesday battled a brush fire for a couple of hours near Beverly Hospital, while nearby Danvers fire crews received assistance from local departments in fighting a brush blaze behind the high school on Tuesday night.

The red flag warning will likely remain in effect through the weekend as warm, windy and dry conditions combine with the lack of ground vegetation before the start of the growing season to create dangerous conditions for fire spread.

The city issues burning permits from Jan. 15 through May 1 for residents to burn natural materials in their yards, but those permits can be suspended at any time because of changes in air quality and weather.

Unseasonably warm temperatures are forecast to peak in the mid-80s on Thursday and Friday inland, with a possible sea breeze developing along the coast, before settling into a windy, dry and cooler weekend.

The next chance for significant rain is forecast for Monday morning.

For more information or to obtain a Beverly open fire permit, please call Fire Prevention at 978-927-2200.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)