波士顿-马萨诸塞州的消防员正在继续与顽固的丛林大火作斗争官员敦促居民采取预防措施，以避免引发新的火灾。
在过去的一周里，大波士顿地区数百英亩(公顷)的土地已经被烧毁，在该州的西部和中部还出现了新的火灾。
在马萨诸塞州，每年10月平均有15起野火被报道。今年，这个月的总数上限约为200起——比平均水平增加了约1200%，超过了传统的早春丛林火灾季节通常看到的月度数字。
据消防官员称，在本月的最后七天，大约有100起火灾被报道，初步信息表明，所有这些火灾都是由人类活动引起的。上周的火灾促使一些社区取消学校课程和万圣节活动。
周五，国家气象局宣布马萨诸塞州东部大部分地区为“红旗”预警。这一警告意味着该地区已经经历了干燥和温暖的天气，有很高的火灾风险。
消防官员提醒居民，整个一月全州禁止露天焚烧，许多社区全年禁止露天焚烧。
他们还敦促居民避免户外烹饪和取暖，并在使用割草机和吹叶机等动力设备时小心谨慎。发动机会变得足够热，点燃干树叶和草。
消防官员还警告说，不要将烟头、火柴或其他吸烟材料扔到阳台边缘，在楼梯或栏杆上掐灭，或者扔进干燥的植被或碎片中。
周六，一名波士顿男子因涉嫌波士顿以西约40英里(64公里)处米尔福德的丛林大火而被捕。这名男子被指控纵火焚烧他人的土地，烧毁土地、树木、木材和农产品。
根据马萨诸塞州保护和娱乐部门的首席消防官大卫·切利诺的说法，今年超过四分之一的灌木丛和荒地火灾发生在10月份。10月份的火灾也占了今年迄今为止1158英亩(469公顷)火灾的一半以上。
塞利诺在一份新闻稿中说:“天气条件和干燥的地表燃料导致了这些快速移动的火灾，预计未来几天还会继续。”"任何室外火灾都会迅速蔓延，变得难以控制，并需要大量的消防资源."
州消防队长乔恩·达文说，马萨诸塞州大约45%的房屋位于或靠近丛林和荒地火灾的危险地带。他补充说，许多火灾都是从房屋周围的活动开始的，如户外烹饪和使用草坪拖拉机和其他动力设备。
Massachusetts firefighters continue to battle stubborn brush fires across state
BOSTON --Firefighters in Massachusetts are continuing tobattle stubborn brush firesacross the state with officials urging residents to take precautions to help avoid sparking new blazes.
Hundreds of acres (hectares) in the greater Boston area have already burned in the past week with new fires cropping up in the western and central parts of the state.
In Massachusetts, an average of 15 wildland fires are reported each October. This year, the month’s total capped at about 200 — an increase of about 1,200% over the average, rivalling the monthly numbers usually seen in the traditional early spring brush fire season.
About 100 fire were reported over the last seven days of the month and preliminary information indicates that all of them started with human activity, according to fire officials. The fires prompted some communities last weekto cancel school classes and Halloween activities.
On Friday, the National Weather Service declared a “red flag” warning for much of eastern Massachusetts. The warning means that the region, which has been experiencing dry and warm weather, is at high risk of fire.
Fire officials have reminded residents that open burning is prohibited statewide through January and in many communities year-round.
They also urged residents to avoid outdoor cooking and heating and to use caution when using power equipment like lawnmowers and leaf blowers. The engines can become hot enough to ignite dry leaves and grass.
Fire officials also cautioned against tossing cigarette butts, matches, or other smoking materials over the edge of a balcony, stub them out on stairs or railings, or toss them in dry vegetation or debris.
On Saturday, a Boston man was arrested in connection to a brush fire in Milford, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of Boston. The man was charged with setting fire to another’s land and burning land, trees, lumber and produce.
More than a quarter of this year's brush and wildland fires took place in October, according to Chief Fire Warden David Celino of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. The October fires have also accounted for more than half of the 1,158 acres (469 hectares) burned so far this year.
“The weather conditions and dry surface fuels that have contributed to these fast-moving fires are expected to continue in the days ahead," Celino said in a press release. "Any outdoor fire will grow quickly, become difficult to control, and require numerous firefighting resources.”
State Fire Marshal Jon Davine said about 45% of Massachusetts homes are in or near wooded areas at risk for brush and wildland fires. Many of those fires have started with activity around the house, like outdoor cooking and using lawn tractors and other power equipment, he added.
