SPRINGFIELD — As much of the state sits in drought conditions and the National Weather Service issued red flag warnings highlighting the risk of brush fire, 37 wildfires have been ignited in Hampden County and 142 acres have burned so far this year, according to David Celino, chief fire warden of the state Department of Conservation and Recreation.
Celino emphasized the catastrophic nature of the current wildfire crisis this fall and said that most of the wildfires have occurred since Oct. 1 of this year. State officials said the state has seen a tenfold spike in fires from what is typical in November.
