BERKLEY — Chief Jason Perry reports that the Berkley Fire and Rescue Department has lifted a ban on all outdoor fires implemented earlier this month due to extreme fire conditions.
Cooler temperatures, higher relative humidity and precipitation have lessened the fire danger that led the National Weather Service to issue Red Flag fire danger warnings for Massachusetts throughout much of November.
While the ban on outdoor fires has been lifted in Berkley, open burning remains illegal outside of open burning season, which runs from Jan. 15 to May 1. The outdoor burning ban covered outdoor burning that is not covered by the open burning statute, and included fires associated with fire pits, chimineas, outdoor fireplaces, and cooking and heating equipment.
Those types of fires are once again allowed, though all residents are still urged to use caution and common sense when dealing with open flames.