As Massachusetts brush fires rage, suspect arrested for allegedly setting open fire

As Massachusetts firefighters continue to fight a peak in outdoor fires over state, a Boston man is in custody after officials say he set arson outside the city over the weekend.

Devonte Johnson, 28, of Dorchester, he was arrested on saturday on charges of setting fire to another’s land, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace and setting an open fire and burning trees or ground, the Milford Massachusetts Police Department reported.

According to investigators, Johnson started a brush fire that damaged land in a wooded area in Milford, a town just over 40 miles southwest of Dorchester.

Police did not disclose the extent of the damage.

Worcester County Sheriff’s Office online records showed Johnson remained in jail Monday on $1,500 bond.

It was not immediately known if he had obtained an attorney.

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Bans put in place after more than 100 brush fires broke out in a week

The arrest comes after officials banned burning across the state after seeing more than 100 people. brush fires over a week that started at the end of October. A fire claimed the life of a woman in Millbury, about 15 miles northwest of where Johnson is accused of starting a blaze over the weekend.

It was not immediately known if Johnson is suspected of starting any of the other brush fires.

USA TODAY reached out to Milford police.

Jake Wark, a spokesman for Massachusetts Fire Departmentsaid USA TODAY, fires occur because weather conditions could ignite leaves and dead vegetation or fuel existing fires.

How many acres are burning in Massachusetts?

As of late Sunday night, Wark told USA TODAY, 87 brush and forest fires had been reported in the past seven days, burning nearly 483 acres.

The number includes four new fires reported in the past 24 hours, Wark reported.

On Monday, state officials continued to warn residents to be cautious with activities involving sparks, flames or heat sources outside.

“With no precipitation, 5 to 10 mph winds, fresh leaf litter, and direct sunlight on surface fuels, the risk of wildfires remains very high today, and as approximately 45 percent of Massachusetts homes are in or near forested areas, any of these fires. could put people and property at risk,” state officials wrote in a news release Monday.

Where are the brush fires in Massachusetts?

As of late Monday morning, some significant fires include:

• Cain Hill (Salem/Lynn): 140 acres, 50% contained;

• Middleton Pond (Middleton): 188 acres, 70% contained;

• Pappas (Canton): 33 acres, 90% contained;

• Wolcott Hill / Blue Hills Reserve (Milton): 4 acres, 70% contained;

• Curry 24 (Devens): 100 acres, 99% contained;

• Maple Meadow (Wilmington): 10 acres, 70% contained;

• Mt. Laurel (Holden): 6 acres, 95% contained;

• Traders Way (Salem): 15 acres, 50% contained;

• Old Forest Road (North Andover): 5 acres, 50% contained;

• Bradway (Monson): 44 acres, 90% contained;

• Castle Rock (Saugus): 22 acres, 80% contained;

• Pond South (Middleton): 4 acres, 60% contained;

• Fitzgerald (Northampton): 55 acres, 85% contained;

• Moose Meadow (Montgomery): 60 acres, 20% contained;

• Howe (Spencer): 9 acres, 80% contained.

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Brush fire kills Millbury woman

last weekend, a small brush fire claimed the life of a 49-year-old woman iin Millbury, Massachusetts, about 50 miles southwest of Boston. It was believed to have come from a camp.

Maryann Audette was found dead at the scene of the fire, he reported The Telegram and the Gazettepart of the USA TODAY Network. A GoFundMe was created to help finance her funeral.

“As we face an unprecedented fall fire season, I ask all our residents to protect themselves, their neighbors and their communities by refraining from any outdoor activities involving open flames, sparks and embers or other sources of heat.” Governor Maura Healey published in a statement obtained by USA TODAY on Monday. “I want to give a special thanks to the firefighters who have been fighting these fires, very often, for days and across the state, from their homes and their families. We have seen truly outstanding efforts from our fire service.”

How to avoid starting a brush fire

To avoid starting a brush fire, the State Department of Fire Services recommends the following:

• Avoid cooking outdoors;

• Be careful when using lawn mowers, leaf blowers, all-terrain vehicles and other power equipment, as their engines can get hot enough to ignite leaves and grass;

• Dispose of ashes from fireplaces or wood stoves by placing them in a metal box, sprinkling it with water and then covering it with a tight lid;

• Smoke materials should be extinguished in a sturdy ashtray;

• Do not throw cigarettes or other smoking materials over a balcony or into vegetation or debris.

Open burning in the state is banned until January, officials said.

Contributed by Julia Gomez

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Contact her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Massachusetts man arrested for arson in Milford