Middleton, Mass. — A smoky haze lingers over Middleton as dozens of acres continue to burn in a brush fire Sunday night.
“The whole area just in the nearby streets is all very foggy and smoky, and every breath you’re getting that campfire taste and smell you know, it doesn’t feel like a lot of super fresh air,” said Kevin Szczechowicz, who works at Rizzo’s Pizzeria in town.
The fire started Sunday morning and you could see the smoke from miles away.
“You can smell it, but you can really see it it’s like being in a smoky room only you’re outdoors in the center of Middleton,” said Cheri Sperr, who lives nearby.
“It’s definitely been a little bit quieter here at the store today, me and the guys have noticed, so yeah it’s I’m sure everybody’s really worried about it,” said Szczechowicz.
Fire Chief Douglas LeColst says about 50 acres have burned in the area of the power lines by Upton Hills Road and the Middleton Reservoir.
“Unfortunately, it’s dry conditions and there were some high winds today, which didn’t help matters and you know got away from us,” said Chief LeColst.
The chief says they’ve had to shuttle in water with the help of mutual aid resources.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office is also assisting with their drone to get a bird’s eye view of how big this fire really is.
“Difficult terrain, hard to gain access, limited water supply,” said Chief LeColst.
Another challenge he says is the limited resources with so many other brush fires happening at the same time across the state.
“And that makes resources kind of difficult to obtain given the fact that we’re kind of spread thin,” said Chief LeColst.
While the fire continues to burn, residents say they may have to limit their time outside until fire crews can put this one out.
“I will probably stay in, in response to the air quality,” said Sperr.
The fire chief says people who live nearby should keep their windows shut to prevent the smoke from coming into homes, and if you see active flames near your house, call 911.
Middleton Fire Department announced that this is likely to be a multi-day event and that fire crews will be back out there Monday morning to continue to battle those flames.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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