Salem, Lynn Brush Fires Spark As Danger Risk Remains High

Updated 12:30 p.m.

SALEM, MA — Brush fire warnings continued across the North Shore on Wednesday as Lynn crews briefly gained control of a dayslong blaze in Lynn Woods with the help of a State Police water drop — before it flared up again on Wednesday — and Salem crews dealt with a fire off Marlborough Road on Tuesday night.

The Salem brush fire occurred behind Osborne Hill Drive and extended to the rear of Lyons Lane off Highland Avenue.

"No homes are threatened at this time, but there will be extensive smoke throughout the city until the fire is contained," city officials said Tuesday night. "Please close your windows and avoid travel in this area to allow fire management team to mitigate."

Salem Fire Chief Alan Dionne issued a reminder to residents that outdoor burning is prohibited throughout the city and urged them to be very careful with any disposal of any type of matches or cigarettes.

"Other communities in our region have been plagued with extensive brush fires, which has resulted in a slight haze and the odor of smoke in Salem," Dionne said.

Lynn crews on Tuesday said the extensive fire in Lynn Woods was "contained for now" before it flared up again on Wednesday.

"Unfortunately, there is an increase in fire activity within the Lynn Woods Reservation," Lynn fire said in an update early Wednesday afternoon. "The Penny Brook entrance is now closed and access is strictly prohibited from the left side of Pennybrook Road to Penny Bridge to the Saugus line."

On Monday, State Police air support was brought in to conduct water drops to help stop the fire that had approached residential areas over the weekend.

"While there are still smoldering trees and stumps within the burn area, the running lines of fire have been contained," Lynn fire said. "The DCR Forestry Crews are continuing to monitor the area."

The north part of Lynn Woods was still closed because of safety concerns and the extended dry conditions.

Lynn fire said the origin of the fires that began on Friday is being investigated.

The National Weather Service on Wednesday extended the "Red Flag Warning" with sustained dry and windy conditions.

While temperatures will run about 20 degrees colder on Wednesday compared to Tuesday, and the wind will be out of the northwest instead of the southwest, gusts up to 35 miles per hour and relative humidity between 15 and 25 percent will lead to a very high chance of any sparks or small fires spreading rapidly through emerging growth early in the season.

(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.)