The brushfire in Clarksburg State Forest that firefighters have been battling since Wednesday expanded by 100 acres Friday to encompass a 290-acre area. The multiple agencies that responded pulled 55 firefighters out of the 3,000-acre forest Friday evening expecting to attack the area again starting at 7 o’clock Saturday morning.After hours of work by 70 people on the ground and multiple water drops by a National Guard helicopter Thursday, the fire rekindled overnight according to Clarksburg Volunteer Fire Chief Chip Chesbro.
“It’s just crazy how it started [again],” Chesbro said Friday around 6 p.m. “There might have been something seeded in the ground that didn’t get hit. That’s all we can think of.”
Chesbro says there have been no injuries to firefighters over the past three days. He says he believes the fire has been knocked down, but crews will return Saturday morning to make sure.
Chesbro says Massachusetts state police have determined a hiker’s campfire, which was legal, started the initial brushfire Wednesday. The hiker reported the fire Wednesday afternoon. Calling it an accident, Chesbro doesn’t expect the hiker to face charges.
