Brush fires break out in the hilltowns Fires in Russell and Blandford were hard to reach

Updated: Thursday, 30 Apr 2009, 6:06 PM EDT
Published : Thursday, 30 Apr 2009, 5:28 PM EDT

Adam Strzempko
BLANDFORD, Mass. (WWLP) - Our stretch of warm dry weather has increased our fire danger. Brush fires in some of the hilltowns have been burning for days and have posed quite a challenge for fire fighters to reach.

In the last couple of days some large brush fires have broken out in the towns of Russell and Blandford.

The location and terrain made it difficult for firefighters to get to the fires. "Well it's just the terrain, the hilliness of the terrain the rockiness. It's remote getting people in and out. It's tough because we're shuffling water. This morning we had a bulldozer cut some of the road so we could get to where we are now. It just wears you out when your carrying chainsaws, rakes, water on your back. It wears you out quick," said Otis Fire Captain Chris Bouchard.

Firefighters from 8 to 10 different communities and three different counties helped to fight both brush fires.

The firefighters also got some help from the air. “Yes the air drops were used considerably yesterday. We have such steep terrain the Blackhawk helicopters out of the Army National Guard out of Westfield were used. They have a bucket that has 660 gallons of water and they're able to do a contained drop and without their help we wouldn't have 95 percent containment today,” said Russell Fire Chief Michael Morrisey.

The brush fire in Russell scorched around 65 acres of land and the brush fire in Blandford burned around 20 acres of land.

The fires were difficult to get to but were fortunately not a threat to any homes. Both fires have been put out.

The brush fire in Russell did destroy two electric line towers that have to be replaced.

There were also brush fires reported in Westhampton and East Brookfield Thursday afternoon.